The Life and Times of Terah Mitsume
by Tori-Da-Mutt
Summary: a story that will be written in collaboration with DaniZaraki's Man, I Miss the Kitties. Told from the POV of my OC, Terah mitsume, starting about two days before she meets Alice, Kat, and the Akatsuki. I only Own Terah. M to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

**Ok, so, you guys wanted mor on this story, so I obliged. The least you guys can do is review.**

**And so, I give you... The Life and Times of Terah Mitsume!**

**THIS IS THE UPDATED VERSION! Please keep in mind that I have recently been told to more or less Man-Up, though I am in fact a girl, Because It would make my stories better, and I decided to do so because I want you guys to be awesome and love me.**

**Yeah, I'm a bit full of myself right now. Oh well. :)**

**~oOo~**

I stared down quietly at the three men beneath my tree, shuffling silently to get proper blood flow in my legs, leaning against the rough bark with a differnt part of my back. Looked like they were setting up camp, spreading their bedrolls out near the fire, where a few sticks of rabbit meat stood, cooking over the flames. _Heh, idiots _I thought to myself, allowing a small smile. _They're about to lose the game!_

I waited there in my perch for a long while, waiting untill, finally, one of the men to separated from the others- heading to take a leak, in his words- to silently leap to the ground. I followed him out to the thicker trees a few meters from their little makeshift camp and smiled. The moment he paused, I thrust a kunai into his chest, covering his mouth to keep him quiet as he jerked away instinctively. With a soft chuckle, I stood up on my tip-toes to whisper in his ear, "Tag." I yanked upwards violently, spewing blood on my feet and the ground, then let his body fall to the ground, laughing as quietly as I could.

I love to win.

I wandered back to the campsite eagerly, quickly grabbing the nearest man and gripping his head in my hands, twisting fiercely to the side with a cry of 'tag!' The last turned in surprise, eyes widening at his comrades lifeless body, only to recieve a fist to his nose, a loud crackle and yet another cry of 'Tag!' I let myself laugh freely then, as he held his face in pain, knowing the outcome of this round. "I win again! You boys can never beat me!" I smiled down at him, still giggleing, then swung my hand down towards his throat, releasing the kunai at the opportune moment to let it still his body, then flopped down by the fire on one of the now ownerless bedrolls, smiling to myself in content. The meat above the fire was sizzling, the meat light and crispy brown. I shrugged and plucked one from it's spigot, sinking my teeth into their not-dinner. Not like they were going to need it.

I sighed happily, relaxing on the ground where I had fallen, eating meat that I hadn't caught, humming a tune I only somewhat knew. When the first stick was gone, I stole another one which joined it's friends in my stomach, then lazily returned to my feet to check my bingo book for the three men. I only knew of one to be in there, but if I could get money from them, I wouldn't abandon it. As I had expected, the other two were worthless, so I humphed and went to find the other man's corpse. He was right where I'd left him, so I dragged him to the edge of the camp, where I lined up the other two beside him before stacking the three bedrolls on top of each other and flopping down on top of them, swinging my travel pack off of my shoulder to dig around in the contents.

My weapons were getting low, I noted, and I needed to clear out my food scrolls. No telling how long some of it had been in there. With a nip of my finger, I summoned all of my stored baggage to the campsite in front of me and started my analysis. First sorting the weaponry and food and medical supplies, then checking expiration dates, sharp edges and such, tossing bad fruits and veggies into a pile near the bodies, stacking unsharpened weaponry separately from the sharpened, and all together reorganizing my entire stash. I spent somewhere between three and four hours sorting, sharpening and hoarding from the supplies my victims had left behind, and another two hours digging the hole I would bury them in, before giving up on passing time.

My final action was to decapitate my bounty and shove the proof into a burlap sack so I could bury all evidence of my being there, grabbing the last stick of meat before I extinguished the fire and launched into the trees towards the nearest exchange point to cash in. I might not be bothered by the dead mans head in a bag, but that didn't mean I had to like it. Creepy staring face...

**~oOo~**

The room stank of blood, death and bad hygiene, but hey, what exchange didn't? I smiled at the balding, frowning man behind the stained counter, who simply stared back coldly. "I brought a target!" I stated happily, swinging the brown burlap sack up into view. He nodded slowly and pulled out a newer looking bingo book, placing it presicely on the center of the counter. I plopped my sack down beside it carelessly and, ignoring the stench, pulled out the head. The man raised an eyebrow, seeming disbelieving, so I pulled a rag out of my pack and wiped off the mud and blood caked on the bodiless face.

The man turned the pages painfully slow- I swear, he just wanted to annoy me with it!- untill he reached the page for my head. He grunted his confirmation- like I didn't already know that- and pulled some cash from... somewhere, handing it to me in a large wad. I weighed it in hand, then flipped through it quickly. My previously happy face went quickly from a smile, to puzzled, to a full out frown. "This is fiftey short." I told him in a dead voice.

"No ish nawt," he defended, glaring at me.

I glared back fearlessly. "The reward is 7,500, and I only have 7,450 here. It's fiftey short, and you either going to pay me in full, or I'm going to punch your face in and take it myself." He scoffed, clearly not planning to pay me any more, possibly thinking he could take anything I dished out, and suddenly found it rather hard to breathe, considering my hand had wrapped quite presicely around his windpipe. "I said, either pay me in full, or I will puch your face in." His flat, glassy eyes widened at me, and after a couple of half-coughs, he forced out a whispery agreement. Satisfied, I released his throat, and he crumpled to the ground, gasping. He pulled out some more cash- a safe box under the counter top... How origional- and passed it on with a shaking hand. "I would also like to buy a new book." I added, back to my happy self, flopping my old, battered, paint splattered book on the counter beside the head.

The man scurried to find the newest edition- oh, cool, printed last week, too- and handed it over silently. "No charge." He swallowed nervously. I smiled sweetly and tucked the new book away, grabbed my now-empty bag, and added the money to my coin pouch.

"Pleasure doing buisness with you, sir." I flashed my teeth and turned on the spot, leaving without another word.

"Just past noon- time for some food," I told myself, looking up at the clear blue sky. The road was empty in either direction for as far as I could see, and a small sign post stood alone about a quarter mile to the left, so I adjusted my course to aim towards it. I would get a room in town after lunch and stay there for a night, I decided- I needed some civilization time. A shower would be nice, and I could use some new clothes.

I spared a glance down at my threadbare, mud-caked, blood-stained crop-top, three-quarter-pants combo and smiled. Scratch that- I needed new clothes.

My feet- bare, for my hatered of shoes- made a quiet, repetetive _thump, thump, thump _on the compacted dirt that made up the road. It would have been ignored by most, but my ears refused to tune out the familiar sound. Even if they were a bit more... _sensitive_, than most, it wouldn't change the fact that I knew that sound better than I knew myself.

Before I could comprehend where the space had gone, the sign post was before me, sporting three signs: Town was about four miles to the west, the forest was about two miles to the east, and the rest stop was another half-mile along. Perfect.

**~oOo~**

I smiled at the familiar village around me, people wandering from store to store, baskets in their arms, children at their knees, a constant babble in the air. It was a homey sound, something I'd grown used to over the years.

My first stop was at the first clothing shop I could identify, where I wandered through the aisles, past people who either smiled at me in recognition or turned away in disgust. I eventually found their collection of dark clothes- I hated their organizing. I mean, seriously, Color coded?- in the corner, streatching along half of the wall, where I found a suitable replacement for my lack of proper clothing and an adorable cadet hat, which I added to my pile and carried up front. After that, I stopped at a general store, where I hunted down a bar of soap, a single-use bottle of shampoo and conditioner, and a new blade-sharpening stone, which I forgot the proper name of.

Happy with my haul, I walked towards the nearest hotel I could locate, my box of things cradled in my arms. I had more than enough money to cover it all. I could probably get their best single bed room and have money to spare.

I was so getting room service!

The first hotel I found was a newer style, one that hadn't been there last time I visited. The lobby was cool and clean, and I felt kind of bad for leaving muddy footprints on the floor. A maid in the corner huffed angrily, and I spared her an apologetic smile. The lady behind the counter gave me a smirk, and the kind smile was instantly replaced with a calm, confident face.

"How can I help you... M'am?" She looked me up and down, smirk growing as she chewed a pencil, seeming to hold back laughter.

"What features does your best single bed room come with?" I asked seriously, shirting the weight of the box to one side so I could pull out my coin pouch.

"Television, radio, a queen sized bed, private bathroom, a hot tub, room service, and full access to the pool, weight room, and gardens." She numbered off on her fingers, then frowned in false sympathy before adding, "But It'll cost 300 a night."

I nodded, setting my box on the counter, privatly satisfied with her disgusted look, and pulled three hundred from my pouch, passing it to her over the spotless counter. "One night, please."

She gave me a blank stare before snatching the money and looking it over carefully, going as far as to hold it up to the light in her desperation for a fraud. I waited patiently, smiling at nothing in particular.

The lady behind the counter frowned, huffing in annoyance, but handed me a key anyways. "Room 1-17. Second floor. Have a nice day." She forced out. I took the key and nodded, heading off to my room. Down one hall, up the stairs, down another hall, and then my room. I turned the key and nudged open the door to see a pleasant brown-and-green color scheme. Much nicer than the typical white-and-cream of most hotels. Stupid neutral colors.

I made a bee-line for the bathroom across the main room, putting my box on the floor just inside the door and turning on the water. The warm, clean water.

I love hotels.

**~oOo~**

**Alright, there's chapter one. I'll get more on how she looks next chappy. Updated version, for those who care.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's chapter two! Please enjoy.**

**I don't own Akatsuki, Konoha, Suna, any Naruto characters you recognize, any villages' you recognize, or Alice and Kathryn when they get involved. I only own Terah, the random meaningless OC's that appear for like… five seconds? Ten? And the village she's staying in… no, technically, that's Jin-chans, so… Yeah. Me no Own.**

**UPDATED VERSION!**

**~oOo~**

When I emerged from my hot shower, my skin was again it's natural pale white tone, no longer caked with mud, my hair was free of sticks/twigs, leaves, blood and dirt, I dressed in new clothes and socks that were warm and fuzzy, and surrounded by rolling clouds of steam. My towel was sucking the moisture from my hair and furry-foxy-ears like a mosquito- a soft, fluffy, very _soft_ white towel, too.

I looked around the room again, smiling at the brown-and-emerald colors scrolling over eachother, and walked over to flop on the bed. True to my thoughts earlier that day, I was quick to call the kitchen and order some room service for anything sweet and fresh, and a pitcher of apple juice.

I waited patiently, tracing over the scrolling patterns on the covers idly. When the waitress/maid knocked, I easily swung open the door and smiled at her. She smiled back distractedly, rolling her little silver cart into the room. My eyes landed on a pair of silver platters and a silver pitcher, with a very pretty crystal glass beside it. I grinned and pulled some money out of the leather coin pouch, passing it away happily as she nodded and left. A small card was placed on the front of the little cart, with a greeting and my room number written on it with fancy, scrolling letters, welcoming me to the hotel and giving operation hours for the various features my room came with.

I love room service!

I pulled the little cart over to the side of the bed and flopped down on the dark auburn sheets, lifting the lid off the first platter and taking a deep breath of sweet, sugary, bakery smells. Dango… Yummy. I replaced the lid and opened the other one, getting only a faint whiff of fruit and distilled water. "Ichigos~!" I sang, snatching up a large, juicy looking strawberry and taking a monsterous bite.

Ah, genetically altered strawberries, I have missed you so….

I rolled over on the bed to grab the fancy radio and flipped the switch. I was greeted by static, twisted and fiddled with dials, and got a good song playing so I could return to nomming my fruit and desserts.

I spent at least a good half an hour eating genetically enhanced strawberries and slightly under-cooked dango, before I let out a huge yawn. I smiled to myself and took a sip of apple juice in my fancy tumbler before I laid down fully on the bed, streatching to the fullest before relaxing. I flicked the radio off and returned it to the side table, then snuggled under the fluffy, warm blanket and fluffed up a pillow, stuffing it's softness under my head. I covered my face with another pillow to block out the late-afternoon sunlight, and slowly drifted off into a comfortable sleep.

**~oOo~**

_I was surrounded by blood. The ceiling dripped with vicious splatters of it; the walls, once pale blue, were coated with crimson, slithering down in wobbly trails to join the pools of liquid on the floor. I wandered through the hallways, ignorant of the stench of death surrounding me, of the dead bodies littering the wooden floors like ragdolls. I just had to find him… He would make it better… He could fix everything._

_He always fixed it._

_Another room passed, empty of the living, more ragdolls spilling blood onto the floor, more crimson staining the pretty colors I had helped mom paint. The normally cold floor was warm and wet, and where the blood had not spread, I left red footprints, trailing all the way back to my room, where I'd discovered the first dead girl. But still, I strode on through the labyrinth of hallways in the compound, looking for the one person I knew wasn't dead, because he was too amazing to die- he was invincible._

_More Blood. More bodies. More people I recognized that weren't him. They were passed, ignored. God, there was so much blood… the smell was sickening, and much too strong. I wanted to stop, to run back to the room, to run away, but I couldn't- I still had to find him…_

_Riku. I had to find Riku. He would make it go away. Riku made everything better._

_Another room passed by. Blood trailed out in a single line from a huge pool, but I moved on._

_There it was- his room, where I had told him he could stay, whenever. I sped up just a little bit, anxious to see him, ears flattening to keep out the wind. I pushed open the door, ready to call out for him, but froze in the doorway, the words stuck in my throat._

_He stood in the middle of the dark bedroom, a bloody Katana in hand. He turned my way and smirked, his shoulder-length white hair twisting silently in the breeze from the open window as blood dripped down his arm, down the length of the weapon in his grip._

_No.. No, Not again… It wasn't real… It couldn't be real…. NO!_

**~oOo~**

"NO!" I shot upright in bed, a scream building in my throat. It was dark now, and the cart was gone.

Slowly, I lowered my heart rate, slowed my breath, chanting to myself.

That dream again. It had been haunting me for years, ever since that day, when I'd seen that hideous side of him…

"I need food." I declared, louder than I needed to.

I pushed myself out of the bed and stumbled to the door, falling over once. After a moment of cursing, I lurched to my feet again, only to fall against the door, fumble for the key on the table beside it, and manage to yank open the wooden slab, into bright lights and cool fresh air. I took a deep breath, wiping the back of my hand along my forehead, then was off.

I half stumbled down the hallway to the stairs, almost fell _again _on the landing, and didn't stop until I reached the dining area and had slouched in a booth seat. Surprisingly, there were still a lot of people awake, eating their dinner and drinking… whatever they were drinking. The waitress looked half asleep as she made her way over to me.

"Hello, I'm Charolette; I'll be your server tonight. What can I get you to drink?" She asked robotically.

"Uh… Coffee. Two spoons of sugar, a splash of milk. And get yourself a cup and sit with me. You look dead on your feet." She blinked at me in surprise, then smiled and nodded, handing me a menu.

"Fifteen hours of work a day- it'll take a lot out of you." She sighed. "I'm supposed to suggest the steak tips and mashed potatoes, but the steak they used is old and microwaved and the potatoes are cement. I like the chicken tenders and fruit cup best." She twisted her lips into a weak smile.

I returned it happily. "Then we'll get two." I pulled a 10 out of my pocket and handed it to her. "If they give you any trouble, give 'em that."

"Will do, uh…."

"Terah."

"I'll be back with the food in… fifteen minutes." She nodded and walked off, leaving me with a pretty white orchid centerpiece and a small wire box of condiments. I hummed quietly to myself, watching the other waitresses walk around, hefting large trays of food and drinks to tables and the kitchens and back. And they were supposed to do this on a regular basis, in heels? The management is crazy…

"Hello, may I help you, M'am?" I looked up at the waiter who had walked over, and smiled slightly.

"No, I just gave Charolette my order." He nodded and turned away, and I snuck a look at his shoes. Black Oxfords. Lucky males.

He walked away and I turned to the pretty, ghostly pale flower. It was cute- one of three colors the kitchen had stocked. Pink, purple, and white. They were my favorite flowers, right up next to cactus blossoms, and if you poured blueberry juice on them every time you watered, the flowers turned blue because it absorbed the nutrients and color pigments, and since the petals are the most influenced, they were turned blue by said pigment. It was really very interesting. I'd gone to a library and found books that nobody checked out, and figured I would take a look, expand my knowledge. Flowers are very interesting... and so is the human anatomy and biology. 358 pressure points that can easily disarm, inable, paralyze and kill an enemy. Over 600 muscles that can be removed separately. Oh so many bones to support the body, and that can be broken and mended and broken again...

Yeah, maybe there was a reason I was head of the torture and interrogation division back in my old village...

"Alright, two coffees and two chicken platters." I blinked into reality, surprised to see Charolette sitting across from me and two plates of food in between us on the tabletop.

"Great." I sighed, sipping the coffee she pushed towards me.

She nodded and worked on eating a chicken strip.

"So," I started after a comfortable silence, staring at her face, "I'm going to guess... working two jobs to pay the bills- possibly helping out family or close friends- hate them both, but working yourself to the bone because you know it will all pay off." I stated, looking into her eyes. They were a soft blue, starkly contrasting her red hair. "And... you had a rough past. I think I see... death... abuse... lost. Your parents died when you were young, and in the many foster homes afterwards, you took abuse in multiple way. You felt toally lost in the world, a fish out of water, but... you found someone. Or should I say they found you?"

She blinked, proccessing. "Um... y-yeah." she looked down, stirring her coffee idley. "You know, rough economy. Things are getting pricey, and Mai-chan... she helped me out in a tough spot, so I figured I owed her something."

"I understand. 105 hour weeks, right? Trying your hardest, not three hours rest before you're off again. It's tough..." I tossed a piece of fruit in my mouth, chewing it slowly as I contemplated. "You deserve better. You've been walked on your whole life, but nobody ever appreciates it. I don't even know you and I can see that."

She half smiled, taking another bite of chicken tender.

Pity hit me like a cake to the face(almost literally, when the waitor passing by tripped), and I pulled a handful of cash from my coin purse, holding it out to her. "Here. I don't need it. you clearly do. Take it and do whatever."

She stared at me in pure shock for a minute as my words and actions registered. Slowly, she took the wad of paper, holding it like it was breakable. "Th-thank you... thank you so much..." She wiped at her eye. "You know, you're already doing all kinds of things for me, and all I know is your name."

"Trust me, It's better that way." I cut her off, taking a long drink.

We finnished our food and coffee after that simple display in quiet. Charolette told me a little more about herself and her past, occasionally prodding me for info about myself or dropping not so subtle hints that she was curious. She didn't get much out of it. When we finnished, she thanked me again and gathered our dishes on a large round tray. I gave her the money for our meals and sent her off, heading back towards my room alone and feeling happy with myself.

_I probably shouldn't have given her that money_, the little voice of logic in the back of my head scolded._ Her dearest Mai-chan was probably a druggie, and useless, but she just didn't have the kahones to tell her to get up and do something_.

_I just couldn't stand the guilt of knowing I could have helped her and I didn't, _the voice of fact and the obvious replied.

Well, If I can help someone else, maybe it will shorten my sentance in hell for what I couldn't do before.

**~oOo~**

**Updated version, for those who care.**

**So, here's your next chappy. Review, or I will not type the next one! MWAHAHAHAHAHA!**

**Question: Why is there a Krusty Krab in Bikini Bottom?**


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay, chapter three! Lets get going!**

**UPDATED VERSION!**

**~oOo~**

I packed up my stuff as soon as I got back to my room. I wasn't planning on doing much more there, so I figured I might as well be ready.

So, with a pack full of storage scrolls, weaponry, a burlap sack, and a brand new bingo book, I was ready to leave… When there was daylight instead of at 1:30 in the morning. The bag found a place beside the door to wait, and I found a place in front of the mirror… It wasn't on purpose, I swear. I just happened to look to the side as I was passing, and something about the reflection made me stop.

I stepped a little bit closer… and closer… until I was standing in front of it, my reflection staring back at me with mirrored eyes, one deep sapphire blue, one vibrant emerald green, a faint twinge of sadness hiding deep inside them. My ebony hair fell past my waist, a six inch edge of crimson at the bottom, and a fluffy black tail protruded from my waist, tipped with the same shade of red. My fox ears were partially flattened, blending into my hair with dark splashes of red.

I felt my heart thud loudly in my chest as I realized- I looked like my Father.

The second that thought popped into my head, I turned away from the mirror, squeezing my eyes shut against my hearts protests. Damn it, I hated myself for that. I could have stopped it. I could have saved them! I could have… I shouldn't have…

_Ok, stop. Right there. Just drop it. It's in the past, now work on fixing it NOW_.

So, with my mental beating out of the way, I returned to my perch on the bed.

"So, I'm packed and ready to go… I've beaten myself up mentally… I fed myself… wonder how much cash I have left." I asked myself.

I pulled my coin purse out of my pocket and dumped the contents into my lap to be sorted and counted. Even if I had been away from civilization for a few weeks, I still tended to spend money a lot. Of course, I did collect a lot of bounties…

This might take a while.

**~oOo~**

I finally finished counting as the sun peered over the horizon. I had 98,783,334. I think I should lay off the bounties for a while…

I packed away all of my money and returned the purse to it's special pocket, pulling on a pair of shoes to walk around town in. I cringed at the feeling. I hated shoes.

Either way, I swung the pack over my shoulder, left my room and returned to the town to wander, not quite ready to leave the village yet. People spared me only weird looks, but they were easy to ignore from my practice at the art. I got looks like that a lot.

Finally, I decided to eat some breakfast and leave the town. Never know what adventures could be waiting around the corner, and I really liked playing with new people. Huh… maybe I could get hired as an assassin… or an unpaid intern. Yeah, that'd be fun… I could watch over the interrogations, I could take care of the weapons, I could bring fresh coffee and tea, I could finally hunt down that bastard and exact my revenge for the disgusting trick he played on me and his attempt to kill me, I could go on scavenging trips, I could help out in the kitchens-granted, I couldn't cook normal food, but I was a master at desserts and sweets….(1)

I was so wrapped up in my thinking and daydreaming that I ended up walking right into someone's back when they stopped in front of me. As a result, they stumbled foreword slightly, and I fell flat on my back with a loud "Oof!"

Rubbing my head, I looked up to see a raven-haired man, staring down at me with a frown. "Oh, I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying attention. Are you alright?" I pushed myself off the ground and laughed nervously.

"I'm fine." A girl beside him smiled over at me. "Distractions happen." The man beside her seemed unsure, but she smiled and hugged him. "I'm fine, Itachi. I swear. If she had hurt me, I would have complained to you guys and let Kisame's awesome Samehada devour her like a fish stick."

He sighed, then kissed her head. "Alright, Alice. I believe you."

"Itachi… Kisame… Alice…. Why do those names sound familiar?" I mused and put a finger on my lip, thinking. The hat I'd bought the day before and put on earlier that morning slowly slid down my forehead until it took the leap and fell over my eyes. "…Curse you, cute-looking hat!" I nudged it back up so it rested just right on my head, then smiled at the trio- As I had just noticed the third, tallest man, with really awesome looking blue skin and a massive sword. "So, where are you guys headed?"

"Itachi wanted to get some lunch before we left, and we were looking for a good restaurant. You know any?" the blue man- Kisame, I'm assuming- asked, shifting his grip on the enormous sword on his back.

"Preferably one with Dango and tea!" Alice added- still guessing names.

"Yeah, I know this place like the back of my ha- Oh, shiny!"(2) I automatically crouched, turning towards the shiny, and leaped after it. My hands covered it in the first try, and I picked it up to find a necklace/locket/silver thing. "Pretty… I'm keeping it!" I announced to anyone listening, then tucked the new-found treasure into my bag and jogged back to the trio.

"…She reminds me of Kathryn, somehow…" the girl, Alice, thought aloud.

"Like I was saying, I know this place like the back of my hand. The best restaurant would be Blue Dragon Dynasty, hands down. It's a few blocks away- I was actually heading there myself for something to snack on. We could go together!" I exclaimed.

"Sounds fun." Kisame agreed, grinning and showing off a set of awesome looking teeth. Itachi gave a hum of agreement and Alice shrugged. "Lead the way…"

"Oh, I'm Terah by the way." I smiled innocently and grabbed Kisame by the sleeve. "Let's go!"

Three blocks of walking and ignoring odd looks later, We stood outside a somewhat run-down looking restaurant with faded gold lettering over the door that read BLUE DRAGON DYNASTY in scrolling font over a background of a blue dragon wrapped around a castle. The windows were dusty and scratched up, the doors had faded strips beside the handles from years of wear, and the whole thing waqs generally aged and battered.

"Are you sure this place is structurally sound?" Itachi asked, a hint of worry in his tone.

"Of course it is! This place has stood tall and proud through an earthquake and two shinobi world wars!" I declared, then dragged Kisame in with me, where we were joined by Itachi and Alice shortly after. "Mikaria! I'm home!" I called, smiling at an old man who was wiping off the windows in the front. "Hi Kris! How's business?"

"Same as always, Terah." The old man chuckled. "Mikaria just went in the back to get some new glasses. You and your friends can just take a seat anywhere- you know your way around."

"Thanks, Kris-sempai!" I waved the others along the side of the room, past three waitresses I knew by name, several tables with people sitting at them who nodded to me when I called to them even though they'd probably forgotten my name, and a hallway marked 'Restrooms', up a fight of stair, and down another small, nearly empty second-floor landing to a table that looked out over the streets to one side, the farmlands to another, and over a beautiful plain of tall grasses to the third. "This is my favorite table! You can see everything from up here!" I leaned against the window as they all took a seat behind me. It was all so pretty from here, so untouched…

"Hello, I'm Mikaria, you can call my Kari, and I'll be your server today. Can I get you something to drink?" I grinned at the familiar female voice.

"Yeah, I'd like two milkshakes and a hug, ASAP!" I turned around and let the brunette squee before she tackled me with a hug that was much overdue. "Oh my gosh I missed you, Mika-chan!" I laughed.

"Where have you been for the past month? I was looking for you everywhere!"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you~!" I teased. "Come on, we're starving! I'll die if you don't feed me!"

She laughed as I set her down on her feet and put a couple of menus on the table. "Alright, a strawberry milkshake, half the whip cream, two cherries, and a splash of apple juice for Terah, and what would you three like?" she smiled and looked around the table, where I had claimed the empty seat beside Kisame.(3)

"I'll have water." Kisame stated.

"Tea, please." Itachi told her. "Alice?"

"I think I'll try a milkshake like Terah's. Sounds good. But... I would like cherry instead."

"Alright, coming right up. Look over the menus and I'll be back in… Three minutes with your drinks."

"I'm timing you!" I called after her quickly retreating figure. "…So, what brings you to Kaipou?" I asked my company.

"A mission from our leader. We're not allowed to reveal information." Itachi told me.

"Ooh, is it a secret? I love secrets! I won't tell anyone, I swear! Cross my heart!" I smiled and dragged my fingers over my heart as I finished.

"…How old are you?" Alice asked. She blinked and looked surprised it had come out.

"Um… you know, I don't really remember. Last time I celebrated my birthday was when I turned fifteen… It's been at least four, maybe five years since then… nineteen or twenty, I guess." I shrugged.

Alice nodded, but before she could ask anything else, a ringing noise reverberated from her pocket. I squeaked in shock, falling backward and landing on my back for the second time. "WHAT IS THAT?"

"Uh…"

If I had been a manga, I would have had a little black cloud hanging over me.

Kisame leaned over to look at me. "Are, uh… You okay, Kid?"

"Yeah… I'm fine… I'd like to know WHAT IS GOING ON, but I'm okay… could you help me up? I think I popped my shoulder."

I grabbed his hand when he extended it to and pulled myself back into my seat, rubbing my shoulder tenderly, then turned to narrow my eyes. "I showed you three the best place to eat. I think I deserve a little bit of an explanation of why her pocket makes ringing noises!"

They gave each other looks. "…You wouldn't believe us if we told you."

"Then tell me what your super secret mission is!"

"…uh…."

"Come on! One or the other!"

"Our leader has sent us to search for more people to join our forces." Itachi allowed. "He gave us a list of people he'd had under surveillance for a while and where we would most likely find them. We've been waiting around this town for just under a week waiting for a specific target, but they haven't shown up yet, and we're moving on. He even gave us this to help find her by chakra signature, but to no avail." My first thought was- _Wow, he sounds really smart_. My second thought was- _huh, weird, I've been having that 'someone's watching you' feeling for a while now_. My third thought, as he placed a black, charm-embellished choker on the table, was- _Oh. Shit_.

"uh huh… I'd love to help you out, but I can't think of anyone who wears chokers like that." I lied smoothly. "So, where are you heading next?"

"We were planning on going after this next target, Victoria Kelina(4), as she poses quite a threat to us if she isn't on our side of this war with her kekki genkai, and our sources tell us she's currently hiding in the mountains about fifteen miles west of here-"

"Alright, drinks are here!" I silently cursed as Mikaria walked over with a tray of drinks. "We've got two milkshakes, a glass of water, and a pot for tea, since you didn't tell me if you wanted black or green, or even if you wanted chai, chamomile, or- Hey, Terah, you found your choker!"

….Oh shit.

**~oOo~**

**MWAHAHAHAHA! I OWN YOU ALL!**

…**With an epic cliffy.**

**1 LOL. Just LOL.**

**2 This has actually happened to me. It was HILARIOUS!**

**3 Try the recipe sometime! Two scoops of vanilla ice cream, five or six medium strawberries, Strawberry syrup, about a cup of apple juice, blend it together, put it in a glass, half an inch of whip cream on top, and two maraschino cherries on top. It's DELICIOUS!**

**4 I couldn't help it. I needed another target, and Tori just seemed perfect for the part, so my other OC gets a mention. :) you know you love it!**

**NOW REVIEW! OR YOU WILL FOREVER WONDER ABOUT HOW THIS STORY WOULD HAVE GONE! I'm serious, If I don't get a review or two for this, I WILL STOP WRITING! I will only send the chapters to Dani through the DocX, because she is the most incredible fanfiction author ever and I started this for her anyways. REVIEW!**

**UPDATED! I didn't have much to do with one the second time around.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4! Hoo-rah!**

**Enjoy! And Review!**

**~oOo~ Opener! ~oOo~**

I looked around the table, eyes wide, taking in their expressions. Kisame looked somewhat upset, Itachi was… bored, and Alice was confused.

"Uh… well, I hate to leave so early, but I gotta go… uh… walk a dolphin home!" I hopped up and turned to leave… and was pulled back to my seat by a blue hand. "Uh, ha-ha, yeah, about that person you're looking for… turns out it's, uh, me. Heh, small world, huh?"

"This is just embarrassing. Two well trained shinobi, and you couldn't even figure out that you were looking for a girl who was sitting right next to you? Kinda pathetic."

"Mika, shut up."

"What? It's true! I really think that-"

"Mika, I will rip off your face if you say one more word. Just… I think you should go. Now. And ignore everything you hear up here for the next, oh… five minutes?"

She sighed and turned around. "Always leaving me out of the fun stuff!" she grumbled before stomping downstairs.

"…She sounds bratty." Kisame commented.

"Very." I agreed. "Anyways… so, now you've got me. What are you gonna do now?"

"You are either going to join us in Akatsuki, or we will force you to join us. It's join or Die, pretty much." Kisame informed me.

"I knew you sounded familiar. You three are in my bingo book." I smiled. Finally figured it out.

"Awesome! I'm a Wanted criminal!"

"Alice, that's not a good thing."

"Let me enjoy the moment."

"…Okay, so… I'm just gonna go now."

Itachi and Kisame just looked at me like I was crazy. I smiled back and, with a wave, I used my own special Jutsu. The room was filled with red smoke, and in the commotion, I jumped up on the table and grabbed my choker before dashing for the door. I passed multiple people, but due to my hurry, I only heard one real comment: "Aw, what a cute little fox!"

Yes, I just shape shifted. Into a Fox. Epic.

And so, I dashed through the streets with a very different view than the humans. Everything was bigger, for one, and things smelled… different. Not sure how, but it was different.

And for some reason I will never understand, Itachi, Kisame and Alice found me as I ran for a side street. I had a few advantages, such as my knowledge of the town layout, higher speed and agility, and being too cute for anyone to say no to, but they, of course, were still full size.

And so, even as I struggled against his grasp, Kisame was able to lift me up over his head and into Alice's bag.

It really sucks to be small sometimes.

**-skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-**

I was ready to rip my head off.

A downfall to having the senses of a fox was that you were more sensitive to everything, including sound. So the bells the Akatsuki had on their hats were ringing nonstop, and of course it was at just the right pitch so after only ten minutes of walking, I felt like someone was slamming my head into a cement wall. Not to mention that the bag must have had perfume spilled on it, so I couldn't smell anything except the sickly-sweet odor of white ginger and peach. I could swear that smell was raping my mind! I couldn't take it! I was more than willing to gnaw my head off to get away from it all.

And then I remembered that I had sharper, stronger teeth than I did as a human, so I could just chew through the sack.

After mentally face-palming, I set to my newest job. The Bag tasted like burlap and perfume, but if I didn't get out of there, they would be smelling blood soon, and so I kept chewing at the threads until I had a hole big enough to squeeze my head out of. A little bit of ripping with my claws and the hole was big enough to jump out of.

With a foxy-smirk, I dove through it and took off like a bat outta hell into the surrounding forest, getting as far away from that… that _torture _as I could before I would dare change back.

Eventually, when the sounds of bells were far behind me, I changed back and shoved my face into a puddle, scrubbing at the perfume stench clinging to my skin.

"Never- again- will I let- them put me- in that- disgusting- stinky- bag!" I growled between rubs. "I can barely stand the smell of my soap! I am not getting stuck with that stench again! And those freaking bells! I'd rather rip my ears off than listen to that again!"

Of course, I should have known that talking to myself so shortly after escaping captivity was a bad idea, but this didn't occur to me in my haste to rid myself of the smell until something hard slammed into the back of my skull.

"…that's gonna hurt in the morning… good night." And the world went black.

**-skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-**

My head was pounding when I woke up. A rather large spot on my head was throbbing painfully with my heartbeat. And if my fuzzy-just-woke-up vision could be trusted even slightly, I was thrown over someone's shoulder while they were walking through a wooded area.

"…and she'll be complaining about the pain for a while until she forgets it-"

"Which, considering her attention span, won't take more than ten minutes at most."

"- so, why couldn't you just cast a low-level genjutsu instead of nailing her in the back of the head?"

"Her senses are much stronger than a human's, even when she's in her human state, so a genjutsu would not take long for her to discover and dispel. Even if she complains, it was the best option for success."

"…Makes sense to me."

"Why do I have to carry her again?"

"Because I'm too lazy to carry much of anything, even the sack she chewed through, and Itachi is my man and would most likely hurt her because of her walking into me earlier. Besides, you're the awesomest, toughest shark man I know."

"I'm the only shark man you know."

"You're still awesome though."

"Only because I love ya, Kid."

Why couldn't they just shut up? My head hurt enough without them talking about stuff I don't understand, and I was actually getting some rest that didn't involve a nightmare about my past for the first time in years! Couldn't they be just a little bit courteous to their captive? Gosh… you know, if they hadn't been so rude about it when I first realized they were searching for me, I probably would have joined them willingly. Hell, I would have joined willingly if they hadn't shoved me in that bag and tortured me twice now with those murderous bells! Wasn't there some kind of code about how to treat prisoners? That shit was cruel and unusual punishment! I wouldn't be able to visit a boutique that sold any type of perfume for a month because of them!

"Well, since you've decided to simply mumble, could you speak up a little so I know what you're saying? I'd rather know how you plan to insult me." I heard Alice question

…Did I say all of that out loud?

"Yes, though most of it was mumbled garbage."

"Oh… I was complaining about how you treat your captives. If you'd been nicer about it when I found out you were looking for me, I probably would have said yes… that was cruel and unusual punishment. I was ready to rip my effing head off… and I would gladly do so now, if I could move my arms… can you please stop the ringing? Put the bells away! It's hurting my head…"

Surprisingly, the bells actually stopped. I heard a faint ching-ish sound as the bells were silenced in some way, then silence. I sighed gratefully. "Thank you…"

And then I was dropped on the ground without warning.

"Ow… That… hurt…"

"What do you mean you would have said yes?" Kisame asked.

"I wanted to think about it… that's why I lied… and then you wouldn't let me leave… Meanies…"

"So we chased you down for three miles and I carried you for two hours for no reason?"

"…Yeah… Pretty much… and why is there a leash on my choker?"

"Because," Alice smiled down at me, "We aren't going to make Kisame carry you all the way to the base, so we decided to make use of your choker and guide you along by that when you woke up so you couldn't run. Itachi put a seal on the choker and clip so you can't take either of them off."

"Oh… Okay then."

"So… If we ask nicely, will you join us?" Itachi asked.

"…Do you have pocky?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yup!" Kisame grinned.

"Then yes, I will gladly join you in Akatsuki!" I smiled and rolled over, morphing back into my cute black-and-crimson fox form. The ropes binding my hands and feet together fell off, but the collar remained in place, and the end of the leash was still in Alice's hand. Of course, I was in a bigger form- I was just over her knees at my shoulders, while my tail fluffed out behind me. "Now, let's get going!"

And with those words, Itachi and Kisame started walking along beside each other, and Alice dragged me along behind them while I trotted along happily.

All was well with the world.

**-skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-**

**Yay! Chapter four! Yes, I'm too impatient to wait for reviews, so it's up anyways.**

**Review, or I will kill them all off!**


	5. Chapter 5

**I am super happy now.**

**I am very grateful to DaniZaraki for her threat to get you to review this story. This is the most reviews I have ever had on a story. **

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed. Jashin-sama will allow your heathen souls freedom for now because you have all made me smile and embarrass myself in my room by dancing around like an idiot and screaming and falling on my face just to get up and do it all over again.**

**And so, early update for you.**

**Chapter 5!**

**~oOo~ Opening! :D ~oOo~**

Believe it or not, it was actually really nice to walk with them. When Alice got tired, Itachi let her ride piggy-back and we moved to a run instead of our patient walk. Of course, I kept up just fine, even with Kisame holding the leash this time and running in the front. We made good time, getting about 30 miles before the sun started to fall beneath the horizon. We kept going until it was halfway down, then Itachi ordered that we set up camp.

Itachi chose to speak with Alice apart from us before he and Kisame left, leaving her with something and he and Kisame left to gather firewood. Before he left, he turned to glare at me. "Do not let Alice get hurt." And then he was gone.

The clearing was quiet for a few minutes, and I scratched behind my ear while I was still in fox-form.

"Hey, Terah?" I blinked at her, dropping my paw to the dirt. "I'm sorry about the leash. It was actually Itachi's Idea."

"I don't mind." I gave her a foxy smile.

She smirked. "Oh, yes, I'm sure you're totally down with the bondage aspect. I kinda thought you'd be more of a wine-and-dine girl, but if you prefer being controlled…"

I felt my face heat up, and thanked whatever deity was up there for the fur that hid my flaming cheeks. _Let's just play innocent._ I cocked my head to the side. "Huh?"

She smirked wider at my apparent cluelessness. "This is going to be fun."

"What's going to be fun?"

She laughed evilly.

Oh snap.

**-skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-**

By the time the guys got back, my face hurt from all the blood and Alice was on a roll with suggestive comments and sarcastic replies.

Itachi smirked, and I think he knew I was blushing. Kisame just shook his head and worked on starting the fire. I went to sit beside him instead of letting Alice torture me some more and so Itachi could eat her face- which, despite my focus on the fire, I could still hear.

"So, I'm guessing Alice was being perverted?" Kisame asked, sufficiently ignoring the couple. I nodded, still watching the fire. "What got her started?"

"…I… told her I… didn't mind the leash…" I muttered.

"Ah. Understood."

"So, are they this mushy all the time?" I asked, somewhat nodding the Itachi and Alice.

"No, they might be pretty bad most of the time-" An 'I heard that!' from Alice, "-but they aren't like this twenty-four-seven. Plus, you kind of get used to ignoring them and it's like they're not even there."

"Aw, is my Shark feeling under loved?" Alice cooed. Kisame rolled his eyes. "Get over here and let me hug you!" He sighed, but got to his feet anyways. I heard a rustle in the canopy and sat up straight, ears swiveling towards the sound. Silence, then a quiet smacking sound.

I turned as I heard a metallic scrape, launching towards the others.

A whistle of wind. A clang as my teeth met solid steel. The scraping of dirt and rocks as my feet skid sideways.

I whipped my head to the side, releasing my grip on the shuriken at just the right moment so it made a wet squelch as it stabbed someone, or something, then a thud as the body hit the tree. Branches snapping and leaves rustling, and a body landed at the base of a tree across the clearing from me.

"Whoa…" I glanced at Alice, who looked rather shocked. "That was awesome!"

"How did you know…?" Kisame started.

"Um, I don't have big cupped ears for nothing." I rolled my eyes, then trotted over to my victim. Male, about thirty-something, and from the hidden rain village. Nice to know.

"Foxes just moved up a few slots on my favorites list." I smirked at Alice's statement. Score: Me one, them nothing.

"What should we do about the body?" Kisame asked.

"We'll alert Zetsu when we get back to the base. He'll take care of it."

"Why wait that long?" I dug my teeth into his vests shoulder and tugged. A little heavy, but I could manage.

"Where are you going?" Kisame frowned at me, and I dropped the shoulder.

"I'm sorry, would you rather watch me go cannibal?" I drawled. Alice shuddered. "I didn't think so. I'll be back… when ever, I guess." I regained my grip and dragged the body into the woods a little ways, just out of sight, then started tearing.

Dinner is served.

**-skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-**

Sometime later- I was too lazy to check the actual time it took- I sat beside the fire between Itachi and Kisame, a small pile of meat and bones on either side of my paws. I gnawed quietly on what I believe was the thigh bone while the others discussed things.

"So, I guess you're a real man eater then, aren't you?" Alice snickered. Itachi cracked a smile and Kisame chuckled. I ignored her and continued chewing. Funny how every time I ate like this, I was reminded of beef. Its true- people taste just like beef.

More chattering and multiple perverted comments. When I finished my meal, I dug a hole at the edge of our camp and buried the remains. The shredded clothes, the bones, and the, ahem, special parts that I wouldn't eat. There were more mutters around the fire as I reburied my hole which I didn't pay any attention to. I did, however, notice the glances over their shoulders at me. I do not like being talked about, and by the way my ears were ringing; there was a lot of chit-chat about me.

Eventually, the ring stopped and I decided it was safe to rejoin the campfire.

Big mistake.

"Terah!" Alice called out, pointing at me. "Truth or dare?"

"Uh…. T-truth?"

"Wimp. Who was you're first kiss and why?"

"…I… I haven't had my first kiss yet." Three incredulous looks. "What? I haven't been around civilization much since I was like, twelve." I put my head down on my paws. "Don't judge me."

"…Huh. Well, it's your turn."

"… Itachi, truth or dare."

He was quiet for a while. "Truth."

"How much do you love Alice and why?" I raised an eyebrow at him… somewhat.

"I love Alice more than anything in this world or any other. I love her more than she could ever imagine. Because she is the most amazing person I have ever met." I gestured for him to continue. "She is smart, and funny, and beautiful, and she refuses to believe me even as I speak because she thinks she loves me more, which is impossible." And cue eye roll from Alice. And Kisame snickers in the back ground.

Check and check. I know them so well already!

"Kisame, truth or dare?" Itachi turned towards him while Alice played with his hair.

"Truth."

"Who was the first person you ever loved and why?"

"Well isn't this a love-fest?" I mumbled into a bone I had kind of grown attached to. Not just a dog thing.

"My first love… Well… Her name was Kimiko." Huh, his voice just got a lot different. I sat up a bit, bone hanging from my mouth at what must be a comical angle.

This was about to get interesting.

**-skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-**

**I made up Kimiko on the spot. Kisame needed someone.**

**Enjoy.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6! Cuz you are awesome!**

**~oOo~ Opener! :O ~oOo~**

Hmm…. This just got interesting.

"I met her… five years ago. She was running a fruit stand for her parents. And she was the first person in years to ever look at me like… like I wasn't a monster. She actually smiled at me. So I kept coming back. After a while, she asked me if I wanted to get lunch." He sighed. "And the next day I was sent out on a mission. And when I got back… she had been killed for thievery."

So not expecting that.

"Wow… I'm kind of sorry he asked."

Alice quickly crawled out of Itachi's hug and wrapped her arms around Kisame. "I'm sorry Kisame. But I know that someday, you'll find someone who loves you too, and you'll be very happy together." Kisame pat her hand, looking down.

I suddenly had that funny feeling. That one that makes me do stuff I'm not entirely comfortable with. And I suddenly had an urge to comfort the saddened blue man.

_Thump. _Kisame turned his head slightly to look at me, at which point I had for some reason I didn't understand put my head on his knee, flattening my ears and looking up at him. He raised an eyebrow at me.

"Is there some specific reason you're acting like a dog?"

"Not a dog. Fox. And you seem really sad." I curled up beside him, snuggling my head into his side. "Cheer up. It could be much worse. You could have no one who cares about you, but you do."

I was expecting him to grumble. Maybe even shove me away. But I most definitely did not expect him to pet me.

Not that I'm complaining.

I doubt anyone of you has been pet before, but if I had to describe it, it's kind of like a big hug. At least, It gives you that 'you've just been hugged' feeling. And I really, really like that feeling. And so, I purred. And he smiled.

Mission accomplished.

"Huh. So foxes do purr." Alice shrugged and returned to her weasel, leaving Kisame to pet me and me purring contently.

I think I might really like the Akatsuki.

**-skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-**

Low and behold I fell asleep like that. And I woke up with my head on Kisame's stomach, and his hand on my head. But, of course, overnight I had turned back into myself, so if a stranger had come across us, they would have made a few very wrong assumptions. So, after a few minutes of waking up, I pulled my head out from under his arm and rolled onto my back. His arm thumped him in the side and he jolted awake.

Alice was still sleeping, but Itachi was packing up. I blinked and cast him a smile. "Good morning. Gah… I was right... My head hurts now." With a sigh, I pushed my bag off my shoulders and dug around. "Shuriken scroll…. Kunai scroll…. Fuma Shuriken scroll… ah, there it is." I pulled a blue-ish scroll out and nipped my finger, swiping it along the paper. I made the hand signs and with a poof, fruit appeared.

I love being a ninja.

"Hungry?" I offered, holding up an apple. He shook his head. "Kisame?" A grunt, and he pushed himself upright with an enormous yawn.

"Sure." I tossed him an orange and nommed on the apple. I'd offer some to Alice when she woke up.

Speaking of which, I just saw her yawn, too. "Good morning, Alice. Banana?" I held out the fruit. She grunted and took it. these people like grunting don't they? "So, when are we heading out?"

"As soon as we're all ready." Itachi stated. I resealed my fruit scroll and tucked it back into the bag, then pulled it over my shoulders again. Kisame rubbed his eyes and got up, adjusting his big-ass sword. Alice sat up, then made Itachi carry her. She is not a morning person, I guess.

About five minutes of destroying the campsite later, we took off. Alice had the loop of my leash around her elbow, and her death-grip on Itachi pretty much guaranteed that I wouldn't get it loose if I used a crowbar.

Kinda bummed they don't trust me, but hey, they _are_ the Akatsuki.

Trees passed by in blurs while birds chirped and animals scurried around. The only sounds we made were the quiet thuds of feet on wood.

Until I saw a shiny on the ground.

"SHINY!" I called out, stopping… and abruptly being choked and dragged to the next branch by Alice's death-grip. "Ow, ow, ow… not cool…"

Itachi rolled his eyes. "Is the shiny really that important?"

"You never know. It could be something really, really important." I shrugged.

He stared at me for a long time. Then, so fast I almost missed it, he unclipped the leash. "Two minutes."

I was gone.

I landed on the branch I'd been brutally dragged from and looked around. The leaves shifted and sunlight filtered down, making the shiny thing shine. I pounced from my high perch… and it _moved. _

"OH MY GOD, MOVING SHINY!"

And thus, the hunt was on. I kept pouncing after it, only to have it pulled from my grip at the last possible second, again, and again, and again. "Hold still, shiny thing!" I shouted, crouching to pounce yet again.

And it did. And I caught it, and lifted it from the ground and smiled. Some kind of ring thing, with a Kanji… that read… Okay, too much dirt to read it. I wiped at the dirt covering the ring, curiosity clawing through my thoughts. Okay. Dirt's gone, and the ring is pretty blue, and it says… I think it's… Sky? Or maybe void?

_Thunk._

I looked up to see a man with gray hair standing on a branch above me. His face was covered by a mask, and his forehead protector was pulled down over his left eye, but something made me feel like he was frowning.

"Um… Hi?"

His eye narrowed.

"Well…. I gotta go." With that, I morphed into a fox again and took off, clawing up to a branch in a tree before launching higher. I wasn't in the mood to fight right now.

I could hear him following behind me, though he wasn't too much of a risk. You know, unless he teleports.

I landed on the branch between Kisame and Itachi, the ring still in my mouth. "Let's Go!" I called out, glancing behind me.

"What's the hurry?" Kisame questioned. He held out his hand and I grudgingly gave him the shiny ring.

"Leaf ninja!" I whined. "I'm not exactly on speaking terms with that village."

A rustle of leaves. I turned around, and my ears dropped to my head.

"So you are working with the Akatsuki." The leaf Nin growled.

"We'll I am now, I guess." I fox shrugged.

"Don't get smart with me." He pulled out a kunai, glaring at me with his one visible eye.

"…Uh-oh…"

**-skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-**

**I know, I'm evil. Enjoy the chapter. And review.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven. Epic.**

**~oOo~**

Well, I'll save you those boring details. Itachi hit him in the head to distract him, I gnawed on his ankle, Alice kicked him in the shin, then Kisame kicked him hard in the chest and sent him flying, unconscious, into a tree a good four meters away.

"Well, well, looks like we've got our tenth ring back." Kisame grinned, rolling the ring in hand. "Wonder what this means for Orochimaru's minions."

"Let's just get back to the base. Pein will know soon anyways."

And we were off again, this time with me as a fox. I was a bit more… athletic, I guess, as a fox. Might just be the fact that everything looks bigger, or how I can sense things way better… Eh, who knows?

But, again, it was quiet except for our feet pummeling the branches and the animals around us. A few quiet comments about something or another every so often to keep it from silence.

"Hey, Terah…" Alice started. "…How many jobs have you had? I mean, I'm not nosey, but Itachi and I kinda… looked through your bag, and we found your money… and it was a lot of money…."

"Depends on what you consider a 'job.'" I tried not to let the ice sink into my voice. It wasn't her fault I had some… childhood issues.

"Like, how have you made money?"

"…I've been involved in three different businesses."

"Care to elaborate, or am I prying to much?" she looked over her shoulder at me, still riding on Itachi's back, leash still looped around her elbow.

"….You know, this is such a boring topic, let's talk about something else… like the rest of the Akatsuki. What are they like?" That might have been too abrupt.

"You're changing the subject. This means you're hiding something." Alice grinned. "It was something dirty wasn't it?"

"None of your buisness."

"Tell me!"

"No! It's my past and I don't wanna talk about it!"

"Please?"

"No!"

"Why are you being so bratty?"

"Because one of those fields I am positive your weasel has participated in multiple times, one of them was helping out Kari's family with their restaurant, and one of them I was forced into without any choice in what I was and wasn't willing to do so my crack-head dad could fuel his addiction, even if it cost me most of my innocence!" I snapped, then went silent.

_Oh shit... Why did I have to say that out loud? Why did I have to be so rude? Why couldn't I have just lied like I always do? Why the hell was I explaining myself to these people that I'd only just met maybe two days ago? What the hell was wrong with me…_

"Okay, okay, Sheesh, you don't have to bite my head off."

And we lapsed back into silence. Itachi and Kisame silently moved faster as the sun touched on the horizon, and I moved to run just slightly ahead of them. Easier to avoid looking at them that way.

**~oOo~**

We eventually stopped at a big mountain thing. I thought we might be lost, untill a door opened up and some white-blonde dude stomped out, something black and furry hanging from his arm.

"ALICE! YOUR FUCKING DOG WON'T LET MY DAMN ARM GO!"

"Sable, down!"

The canine immidiately dropped to the ground, dashing over to Alice and tackling her with love. The brunette smiled and cooed and gave back every lick and nuzzle one-hundred-percent. I smiled at the love until I noticed a large patch of dirt on my red paw and automaticly licked at it.

Platinum stared at me in shock, his mouth hanging open.

"Hidan, Dear, shut your mouth, you'll catch flies."

"What the hell? Did you get her another fucking dog, Itachi?"

"Hey!" I snapped- Hidan jumped back, probably having almost crapped his pants- "I am a _Fox, _Bitch. Don't you _ever _call me a 'fucking dog' unless you are ready to get your body shreaded to bite sized pieces. And I'm pretty sure _that_ one's not a dog."

"Hidan, Terah, the new girl. Terah, Hidan- he swears a lot. Now, lets go see Pein."

I sighed heavily, then forced myself up and shook out my fur, morphing back to myself as I went. "I guess."

And we were back to walking. Down one hallway where Alice left us, past multiple rooms, until we got to a specific room, and a loud voice called out "Enter" and we all went inside, where a shadowy man was sitting behind a desk doing paperwork.

"Itachi, Kisame. I assume this is your report?"

"Yes, sir."

"And I also assume you were successful?" He raised an eyebrow at me. "You must be Mitsume."

**~oOo~**

Being briefed and introduced to the leader of a group of international criminals is rather boring. It was when we were all summoned to the living room to meet eachother that it all got interesting.

The room was filled with strange people. There was Kisame, Itachi, and Alice in the corner, with little Sable at her feet. Hidan and a tall tanned man were behind the couch, which was seating two blondes, a red haired boy, and a guy in a bright orange mask. A raven who looked an awful lot like Itachi was leaning against the wall, a somewhat slutty redhead girl on one side, an orange haired boy and a blue-white haired boy on the other. A blue haired woman stood beside Pein, and a man with a venus flytrap on his head was halfway phased through the floor.

"Akatsuki, this is your newest member. You are to treat her the way you would treat the rest of our members." Pein looked at me and I assumed I was supposed to introduce myself.

"...Hi. I'm Terah, Terah Mitsume. Nice to meet you all... I think."

"Hi, Terah! I'm Kathryn!" The blonde girl jumped up ran over to hug me. "So, you already met Alice, and Itachi and Kisame... Thats Hidan and Kakuzu Behind the couch, Deidara and my Danna Sasori are on the couch, Sasuke is Itachi's little brother, Beside him is Jugo and Suigetsu, Thats Konan, Tobi's got the mask, and Zetsu's on the floor." The redhead coughed pointedly. "... and that's the useless slut."

"Hey!" Useless Slut lunged forward with an angry look on her face, and almost everyone else in the room was on their feet in the same second. I'm fairly sure one of them would have killed her... if, of course, she wasn't stuck, paralyzed in my gaze, with twin sais pressed very firmly to her throat.

"No." She blinked. "I happen to like this hyper blonde girl, and I have had things I like taken away too many times before to let you get any closer to her. I will link any injuries she recieves to you, I don't care who did it. You will die, just like the last fifteen people who've tried to take things from me." I heard a tiny whimper in her throat. "Now sit down, Bitch."

There was a small silence, filled with pointed looks and mild surprise.

Yeah, I tend to get defensive when there is a threat in the area.

**~oOo~**

**Yeah, that was hell to write. It's impossibly short, but I'm too brain dead to try fixing it.**

**Question: what animal is your favorite?**


	8. Chapter 8

**Inspiration hit like a brickwall.**

…**Literally, I was walking around, trying to walk and read at the same time, and I walked into a wall. As soon as the stars went away, I ran home so I could type.**

**Sometimes, accidents do have a good excuse.**

**Enjoy.**

**~oOo~**

Well, I'm not sure if that gave me the best impression. Useless Slut- who I soon learned was actually Karin- whimpered and passed out, and we spent the next several minutes staring at her limp form, waiting for Kami-knows-what.

"Um… yeah. I didn't mean to be quite so aggressive… Is she gonna be okay?"

There were careless grunts and shrugs all around the room, while Kathryn did some weird happy dance.

"…So, Sasuke, Jugo, Suigetsu, Hidan, Kakuzu, Sasori, Deidara, Tobi, Zetsu, Konan, Pein, Itachi, Kisame, Alice, and Kathryn, right?" They each nodded as I pointed and spoke(at the same time!) "Okay. Nice to meet you all."

"Kisame, you are in charge of showing Terah around, and you will be training her to make sure she is up to par. Partly because you are one of three I trust not to purposely harm her, partly because she already knows you, and partly because Alice would throw a fit if I asked Itachi to handle this." Kisame nodded and Pein dismissed the meeting, allowing most of the people in the room to wander off and do whatever.

"Well, until we can get one of the spare rooms cleaned out, you'll be sharing a room with someone else. I'll let you take your pick-"

"I don't actually sleep as much as I did on the trip. I usually go a good three weeks, sometimes a month before I actually sleep." I shrugged at the odd look he cast me. "What can I say, I'm weird like that. I'm weird in a few ways."

"Alright. I'll give you the tour then."

**~oOo~**

Tours are boring. But, I now know where to find the kitchen, the spare bathrooms, the living room, and where every member in the base stayed- I can't say sleep, because he explained that Sasori-san was, in fact, a puppet, and didn't need sleep.

Everyone we passed asked about where I would sleep, and gave me skeptic glares or confused glances when I explained that I didn't need sleep every night. But, I was not stopped on my way to what Kisame could only explain as "the basement." He wasn't sure what was down there, and decided I could probably handle anything that was hiding down there… and, If not, I was close enough for a scream to catch attention.

The only thing I was worried about was if someone stopped me on the way there. It was hard enough to work up the nerve to head out on my own, especially after incidents I'd had involving basements in the past, and if anyone told some psycho ghost stories, I'd almost definitely chicken out.

But, I guess fate is on my side, because everyone else was busy.

_That door is creepy,_ was the first thought in my head when I found the basement hallway. The second was, _I must be insane… nothing new there._ Despite the oddly out of place cold air emitting from the door, I nudged it open with my foot and peered down into the darkness of the basement, ignoring the tiny dust clouds that floated past my ankles.

"…Why is it suddenly so cold in here…"

The stairs were covered in dust, and when I glanced back from a few steps down, I could clearly see my footprints. Of course, I should have known better than to not watch my step on stairs with almost an inch of dust that clearly hadn't been used in Kami knows how long. Maybe I wouldn't have missed a step and fallen… I dunno, maybe seven feet of stairs?

But I did. And it really hurt afterwards. So I just lay there on the floor in a daze, waiting to feel my leg again.

It took longer than I expected, but I still managed to get up, and my eyes had somehow adjusted to the half-light so I could look around at the basement. At first, it looked like it was just a bunch of old boxes stacked haphazardly around the base of the stairs, like someone had been too lazy or hurried to put them where they belonged, but as I stood against the banister, I could catch a faint glimpse of a large, shadowy form in the gloom. And when I hit the light switch, it was thrown into a yellowing glow, and I felt my jaw de-hinge.

…They were hiding _that, _in the basement?

**~oOo~**

"I need someone to go to the nearest village with me."

The room full of criminals and bingo-book characters turned their heads to look at me, silently asking the question I knew they wanted answered.

"No, I will not tell you why. I need stuff, and no, Kakuzu, I'm not using the Akatsuki funds to buy them."

Sasuke and Jugo stood up, stretching.

"We'll go with ya, Terah." Jugo smiled at me.

"I need to get some more tomatoes anyways." Sasuke added.

I smiled back and grabbed their wrists, dragging them along. "Thanks, guys!"

Jugo laughed at me, and Sasuke simply let me pull him along.

These guys must like me a lot. That, or I'm stronger than I thought I was, and they have no choice but to follow me, or my grip will break their arms…

I hope it's the first.

Off topic.

I let them lead the way to the village, dodging around branches and following them, idly cementing my plans for the thing in the basement. Jugo and Sasuke were mixed between a discussion and a comfortable silence. There seemed to be a lot of that around the base today, silence. Never awkward or anything, just nothing needing to be said. It was nice, actually, to get away from the constant noise of the outdoors.

"Terah, the village is a few minutes away."

"You guys need stuff, right?" They nodded slightly. "I'm paying for everything. No buts, I have more than enough."

"…Do you want something in return?"

"Yes. I want you guys to explain stuff to me, because Kiyoke is the only town I've ever actually been through, and they didn't have much."

"Deal."

And so, we entered the village, my money pouch hanging from my wrist, weighed down with cash, and Sasuke and Jugo flanking me, half a step behind to either side. They immediately started explaining what everything was, from a small diner and a toy store to a bank and a night-time bar-and grill, to a bookstore and an arcade.

"This is Kisuke's house. He's the best weapon smith in the Great shinobi nations." Jugo pointed to a small, somewhat run-down house with a small sign above the door identifying it as Kisuke's Place.

"Does he do repairs?" I asked, cutting off whatever he was about to say. A little light bulb was flashing in my head, and I fingered the small scroll on my thigh. Jugo nodded. "I need to stop there. Come, my fellow criminals!"

They rolled their eyes almost simultaneously and followed me inside, where every flat surface had some sort of weapon or weapon care kit. There was a beautifully carved katana on display, with an inscription etched from the tip of the blade to the hilt of deep blue leather. Below it was a complete set of inscribed throwing knives and various hilts for the afore mentioned blades. Sais, bladed gloves, and just about anything else you could think of littered the walls and shelves, and in the middle of the room was a man in a green uniform, a black jacket, and a green-and-white striped hat.

"Hello, kids. What can I do for you?" He asked in a laid-back voice.

"I need some repairs done for my dual Sais. Boys, you want anything?" They shook their heads.

"Alright, let me see them." I pulled out the pale red scroll and unrolled it, nipping my finger and swiping the welling blood along the paper. With a quiet poof, the scroll was replaced with two connected hilts dangling from my wrist and two broken blades in my palm. "Wow," he chuckled. "You did quite a number on them. What happened?"

"An old friend…" I whispered. "Can you fix it?" I asked, a little louder.

"…I can't promise anything, but I'll try. It'll take me a few days, at least. Is that all you need…?"

"Terah. And… I'd also like your opinion on a design of mine. Three, actually."

He smiled. "I think I could help you with that."

I smiled and shooed the boys away. "This is important stuff that you guys can't know about yet! Get outta here!"

**~oOo~**

By the end of the day, we had: Seven novels for reading in spare time, a new wardrobe for me, due to my lack of clothing, which Kisame had pointed out as nasty, tomatoes, cooking stuffs, a box of paints and three blank canvases, fifteen pounds of fresh meats, several chords of lumber, a weaving kit, a shiny new box of tools, sketch books and colored pencils, an awesome staff with blades on both ends that flipped in when not in use, then locked out to do maximum damage and a simple wooden staff for practice, a cute panda hat that Jugo thought was adorable and picked out for me, a piggy mask for Karin, a ducky hat for Jugo, a weasel mask for Itachi, a fox plushie for Kisame, an emo teddy bear for Hidan, a brand new, fresh-off-the-press bingo book for Kakuzu, a huge fish tank for Suigetsu, Kisame, and anyone else who wants in, an oversized dog bed for Sable, those fancy enamel paints that last FOREVER for Sasori, tasty food coloring for Deidara's sculptures, a kitten mask and E-Z Wipe Crayons for Tobi, a garden log book for Zetsu to keep track of his green-house set-up (and so nobody got eaten by the more dangerous ones), a custom-order super-soaker that hadn't been picked up by the owner for Pein-sama, and twenty packages of fancy origami paper for our dearest Konan- and, I also picked up a how-to-knit instructional book and some yarn and needles for Alice, who's real present was under construction at Mr. Kisuke's, and a steel-and-carbon-fiber lasso for Kathryn. Just seemed like something she would use.

Needless to say, I think Kakuzu had a heart attack when I told him how much it cost.

Did it cost enough that any civilian would have cried? Yes, yes it did.

Did it have a noticeable effect on my savings? No, not at all.

Besides, he was a lot better after I forked over another five hundred for him alone.

Karin glared, but Tobi forced the Piggy-mask on her face, then put on his own kitten mask over his orange one and ran off with his crayons. Zetsu smirked at my reasoning for the log book, then morphed away. Hidan smirked, thanked me with various curse words, and ran off, while Kisame grinned and flopped on the couch with his new plushie.

Alice laughed at Kathryn and her lasso as she attempted to lasso Deidara, then at Itachi in his weasel mask, before blushing violently pink at the knitting stuff and my explanation that, "It helps pass the time, and you'll have some waiting before you get the cool thing I designed a while ago."

Jugo put on his ducky hat when I dug up my panda hat, Sable tackled the large bed- with red felt clouds on a black background- Sasori smirked and nuttered a thanks for the enamel paints, Dei screamed "Art is a BANG!" and ran off to make art with Kathryn close behind, Konan smiled and made a very pretty origami flower for me in thanks, which I insisted she pinned on the ear of my panda hat, and Pein simply stared at the super soaker for a little while.

"It's so you can punish your criminals when they are misbehaving." I explained. "For example-" I took the pre-filled water-gun and aimed it at Karin's piggy-face, then, ever so slightly, pulled the trigger.

A monstrous stream of water hit her dead-on, and she flew back into the wall with the force.

"It may be under used, but it's the thought that counts."

Everyone laughed when I tugged the fish tank out of the scroll I stashed it in. Suigetsu smirked when I also hung a wooden sign on the side by the ladder: SUIGETSU'S FISH POND: WHAT HE SAYS GOES.

"Now, I'm going to get to work on my special projects." I stated. "Alice-chan! I need your hand."

She raised an eyebrow, but held out her hand. I promptly placed my palm against hers, nodding and taking note on the minor size difference. "What's this about?"

"You'll see in about a week." I grinned, then set off to find Kathryn and give her a little present I'm not entirely sure Alice would approve of.

**~Five minutes later…~**

"No. Way."

"Yes, way." I smiled, restoring the weapon to its scroll. "When I deem you ready in practice, I will allow you to use the staff freely. But, if you betray my trust, I will end your lessons. Understood?"

"Yes, Auntie Terah."

"Please don't call me that. It makes me sound old."

"Yes, Terah-Ne-chan!"

**~oOo~**

**Oh dear, oh dear. What has Terah done to our poor Akatsuki?**

**You will see in practice sessions in the next chapter.**

**Review! Or the Almighty Jashin-sama shall smite thee, and I will be sent to devour your soul! **


	9. Chapter 9

_This chapter is overdue, I know this. I pretty much vanished off the face of the internet for about a month and a half. I know this as well._

_My excuse is school, a mental breakdown, and being forced to stay in Gerber Memorial's psych ward for a week._

_I will commence typing a chapter full of words and other story like things._

_If you have a problem with me, fuck you, fuck your family and friends,_

_and now you have my full permission to go suck and choke on a chode._

_Peace, bitches._

~oOo~

"Come on, is that all you've got? I thought I was doing so well training you!"

"Nyaaaa! Terah-Neechan, this isn't fair! Dei is distracting me with his sexiness~"

I turned to the offending blonde and snapped, pointing to the door. "Out."

He pouted. "Why?"

"Because, I am training this girl and she needs to focus so she can use the awesome weapon I bought for her!" I explained happily.

He sighed unhappily, but left after pecking Kathryn's cheek.

"Now, try again! You're doing well, so keep it up!"

She sighed in an uncannily similar way to Deidara, then lifted her plain wooden staff and took the stance I'd shown her. "I'm ready, Terah-Nee!"

I smiled and swung my staff towards her, slow enough that she had a chance to deflect it with her own, and then swung the other end upwards toward her jaw. She quickly snapped her pole around, blocking the blow and countering with one of her own. I allowed her to take the offensive for a while, blocking all of her hits with little difficulty. Unfortunately, she noticed my lack of focus and swept the staff at my feet, knocking me flat on my ass for the third time that day.

"Kathryn..." I started, staring at the flat end that she had pressed into my throat lightly. "I...I-I'm..." I looked up to her teary eyed. "I'm so proud of you! I knew I'd make a fighter out of you!" I pushed the staff out of the way and hugged her, waving back and forth. "Oh my gosh, you've improved so much in such a short time!"

The praise session continued until I heard a howl from Sable.

"Sable! Attack!"

"OUCH! DAMNIT, ALICE!"

"Ah, sounds as though Hidan has said good morning to Alice." I mused. After a few moments of hugging, I released my target and grabbed my staff. "We go again!"

Behind me, Kat groaned.

~oOo~

"Aaaaaaliiiiiice!" I called, wandering the base. It was so hard to find people when you couldn't use chakra tracking!

"Hey, Kid. Whatcha doing?" I smiled at Kisame as he rounded a corner.

"I'm Alice hunting. What're you doing?"

"Nothing, yet."

I nodded, and then continued on my walk, scanning every room I passed for the missing brunette. Along the way, I passed three other members and a Tobi.

As I passed a bathroom, I heard the distinctive sound of someone tossing their lunch. I debated the possibility of it being Alice, staring at the door, then sighed and knocked. "Alice? Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah. I'm F-" Her voice was cut off as she puked again.

"For some reason, I don't believe you." I eased open the door to see her, bent over the toilet, trying to hold back her hair with one hand. "No offense, but you kind of look... well... bad."

"Thank you _so much _for the compliment." She managed. I sighed and knelt down beside her, gathering her hair a bit more effectively than she did and holding it together at the nape of her neck.

"Hey, I speak the truth. Would you rather I lie to you?" She opened her mouth to respond, but instead heaved air. I nodded to myself, accepting that I had probably just exposed myself to whatever she had. "Think you're done, or should I stay here?"

"I'm... I'm done... I hope..."

I wrapped an arm around her middle and pulled her up to her feet. "Where you want to go?"

"I can walk," She argued, tucking under my arm and leaning against the wall. "I told you, I'm fine."

"Alright then, if you say so."

"You're not leaving me alone, are you?"

"Not a chance in hell."

She sighed, but rather than continue to argue, she started moving down the hall. I followed at her pace, a few steps behind and to the side. Somehow she managed to get to her room alright, so I zoomed down the hallway, aiming for the kitchen. I was hungry, and food sounded good.

In particular, ramen- beef ramen with hot sauce and pepper.

Yum.

~oOo~

About four hours later, I was severely regretting the aforementioned food. Especially the hot-sauce. Because I'd been kneeling in front of a toilet for half an hour, stomach heaving every time I attempted to stand up, and I fell to my knees again.

For those of you who haven't noticed, puking is not fun. I won't bother to describe it, but it feels gross, and tastes worse, and leaves you just feeling blegh.

Yes, blegh.

Yeah, exposing myself to Alice's whatever-the-fuck-it-is was a terrible decision, but I have this compelling nature, and I just have to help people. I _have _to. Not optional.

Sometime around seven, I managed to stand up without heaving, and rinsed my mouth out, keeping my head low. Sickness gave me headaches.

Someone rapped on the door.

"Occupied." I grumbled, wiping my face with cool water.

"Terah, un? Are you sick too?"

"Yeah, Deidara. I've been tossing everything I ate today. It feels gross. Here I am."

He walked away, and I cautiously edged out of the room, planning to find a supply closet and hunt down a pillow and blanket, then wallow in self pity on a couch somewhere with a bucket close at hand while munching on crackers and water. Why? Because I wasn't tired and I didn't want to go through the torment of having hot-sauce come up the wrong way.

Not fun. _Very_ not fun.

Granted, I might end up dozing on the couch from comfortableness, but I'd rather doze there than sit curled in front of a toilet on cold linoleum floors while my stomach protested to everything I tried to swallow. A couch was preferable to that any day except when my back was sore.

Pillow under one arm, little trash can in hand, and blanket draped over shoulders, I half marched, half crawled to the living room and flopped unceremoniously to the couch, face buried in softness that smelled faintly of aftershave. Hidan stared, raising an eyebrow.

"Bitch?"

"I'm proud of it, too. Whatcha' want?"

"S'up with you?"

"I'm sick, and the linoleum was hurting my knees."

"...gross."

"_Very_... Could you bring me some crackers and a glass of water? Peas?"

He heaved a heavy, dramatic sigh, but pushed himself up and left for bland as hell finger foods.

Time to wait out a cold.

~oOo~

Eighteen hours, fifty four minutes, twelve seconds. That's how long I spent lounging on a couch wallowing while various members of Akatsuki wandered past, some bringing more crackers or drinks, others questioning me about this or that.

Thirty-seven dollars and twenty-nine cents. That's how much I owed Kakuzu for, quote, "meaningless over-consumption of various goods that could have lasted much longer." AKA, a box of saltine crackers, four bottles of water, two cups of banana yogurt, and a jug of strawberry-banana juice.

B-L-I-S-S. That is how you spell the way I felt when I finally managed to keep down something that wasn't cracker.

The storm had passed, and I felt AMAZING.

Now it was time to annoy the shit out of Karin for existing.

**~oOo~**

**Yeah… I don't feel like spilling the story of my life on FF, so if you want more on my delay, review and ask. If you don't really care, just say you feel bad and DON'T ask.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Alright, lets get this show on the road. It's time for Terah to get some shut-eye, which is kind of an all day thing. I'm thinking this chapter will focus on the relationships Tee has made with the other members, possibly with a dream excerpt here and there. Please note some of this will not be coherent, for I am amazed that I'm even typing properly at all at 6:30.**

**Here we Go~**

**~oOo~**

The sound of my shuffling footsteps echoed around me, vibrating off the walls to make a soft buzz in my ears that was not helping with my tiredness. My head kept drooping down, and I'd nearly fallen asleep on my walk several times.

I had noticed the signs yesterday- lack of focus, blinking to clear my vision, Kat beating me more often than she should have been trained for. I should have gone to bed then, but no, I had to get back to the basement and work on the shit I had planned, then go back out and play hide n' seek with Kathryn, completely ignoring the obvious need for rest my body was demanding.

Now I just needed to stay awake long enough to get a bed to sleep in for the day, and my best bets for that were Sasori, Juugo, Suigetsu, and Kisame.

Sasori and I had gotten pretty close after my first week, when I had wandered into his workshop out of boredom and ended up praising his work, admiring the expertly carved and shaped limbs for puppets. He had actually allowed me to help him, even. It was cool. He might be willing to lend me his bed for a day, since I slept like the dead and wouldn't bother him often, unless he was raiding his workshop again and his puppets were spread all around.

Juugo was a real sweetheart. He just wasn't the mean type that would tell me to get lost (unlike a certain stingy masked man and his partner) and would probably be nice enough to allow me a place to sleep. Besides, he owed me for helping the little bunny he found in the forest get better. Unless he had caught the flu late... That would make his room a big no-no. I'd had my turn with that nasty thing. I was definitely not going through that again...

Suigetsu was... Well, he was Suigetsu. Loved a good spar, but knew when to take it easy. Tough when he had to be, but nice and fun-loving. If I could guarantee him a good fight for the next few days, he'd give me a bed for a day. It was the testosterone, I swear. Granted, He might have some weird hobbies that I don't know about. You never know.

And of course, sweet-heart Kisame who loved everyone. He'd probably laugh, nod, then go and get some of Alice's pancakes for breakfast.

He was predictable like that.

Softy shark.

No wonder why Alice and Kat loved him so.

I stifled a loud yawn, my jaw cracking painfully. My eyelids slipped down, and my head drooped again, escaping my notice for a few minutes until I nearly walked right into Sasori. I stopped literally half a second before collision, head snapping up again, eyes going wide to avoid sleep.

"Careful! I almost dropped the brat's breakfast." He grumbled, glaring at the floor.

"Mm... Sorry, Sasori-san. I'm really..." Another face splitting yawn. "...tired." I paused for a few moments, mind whirring. "W'jou mind if I borrowed your bed for a day? I feel like fallin' 'sleep right here and callin' it a job well done."

He sighed. "Sure. Just don't mess with anything. Come on, It's this way."

We went down the hallway, him carrying a tray of food I may ask about later, me half-falling over in near-sleep, silence between us.

He nudged the door open and nodded to the far corner. "Bed's still made." I smiled tiredly in thanks as he left for the next room over to deliver breakfast to his brats.

I'm fairly sure I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.

**~oOo~**

Alice was the only one to look up when Sasori returned to the kitchen, his tray of food gone, his face the usual stoic stare. "How was breakfast?" She asked sweetly.

"Terrible. I'd rather eat dirt." He smirked, leaning against a wall.

"You probably do anyways. If you don't, you should try. Might fix that mouth problem."

"What problem?"

"The one that makes it open up to spill stupid comments."

"That was a pathetic come back."

"So was you're mom, but I didn't whine."

He snorted. "So you're lesbian now? Does Itachi know?"

She sighed dramatically. "Forgive me, Sasori, but I fear your mother, is not a mother. She's a dude."

"You would want to know."

"I only want to understand the family of my secret lover."

"Since the skinny bitch isn't here to say it, I will: Quit it with the damn sarcastic comments!" Hidan grumbled, a fork of pancakes halfway to his mouth.

"Shut the fuck up and eat your Jashin damned pancakes or I'll shove the fork down your throat." Alice replied calmly. Hidan simply grunted, having already finished the aforementioned food.

Alice scanned the room with blank eyes, a small frown adorning her face.

"Anybody seen Terah?" She asked, nibbling a tomato.

"I passed her on the way to the brats' room. She's probably sleeping now, same as the other two." Sasori stared at the syrup lake on the Jashinist's plate, idly wondering how the hell he got so much without Kakuzu smashing his face in for wasting.

Alice shook her head, smiling slightly. "Only Kathryn and Deidara could both get sick with pneumonia at the same time." Then she raised an eyebrow. "Wait a minute- does this mean you're sharing a bed with her, Sasori?"

Sasori rolled his eyes. "You've seen her. She probably hasn't slept in a month, and I'm going to stop before I bury myself."

Alice, having read into his words far too perversely, was _almost _rolling on the floor laughing. "'Bout... Bout time you under... stood when... you were beat!"

The red head growled, throwing a chakra string around Hidans arm and making him smack the brunette by his chair.

"Cheating!"

**~oOo~**

_Dark. Very dark. It was a strange darkness- not just blinding, but deafening, even suffocating. I couldn't move, bound to something, my limbs heavy and weak. Nothing could be real, but I couldn't explain why it wouldn't be right._

_A bright light. Nothing big, just a little sliver of light, pale and white, barely even noticeable. It made a small pinprick of light on my stomach, illuminating it just enough I could make out the color- a dark sapphire, almost like a piece of the dark side of a sunset sky. It got a little bigger, the fabric- was it really fabric?- shimmering like water. Bigger, even bigger, a large circle of light._

_A voice. Faint, too faint to be made into words, but a voice all the same. It was familiar, but I don't know from where. Not a voice you could easily forget, though. Deep, definitely male. I still hadn't taken a breath._

_Suddenly, my chest ached, burning for a breath of air, but every time I tried to force my mouth open for a breath, it felt clamped shut. Stuck._

_Pulling, prying at my jaw. My hands came free from what ever had bound them, pulling at my face. Slowly, like a first smile after a long sleep, my lips parted, and I eagerly sucked in a deep breath, desperate to calm the flames in my lungs._

_The air was wrong, off. Not the crisp taste of morning, not cool or stale like a basement, nor rank like a dungeon cell, but instead a heavy, damp taste. Like a shower, thick and hard to breathe, but also dirty, making me want to clamp my mouth shut again. But I'd expended too much effort to open it, and I wasn't exactly interested in dieing, even if this wasn't real. In an attempt to ignore the taste, I took a breath through my nose... and gagged at the overpowering smell of copper and salt._

No, _I pleaded, _not that dream. Not again.

_But it's not that dream, my conscience argued. _That _dream was real. I knew the details only too well. This was not that dream. I would be at the compound, wandering, looking for _Him._ But I wasn't. Until a few moments ago, I couldn't even move._

_The thought reminded me of my predicament, and I pulled at my legs, which refused to move even a fraction of an inch. My arms, too, had been immobilized, still positioned inches from my jaw from prying open my lips to breathe. I tried twisting my head, which had also been impossible, and confirmed my fears- It was not moving anywhere anytime soon._

_A loud clash, and the floor beneath me fell away- wait, I was standing up? Wasn't I tied up a moment ago?_

_My limbs flailed, hunting for purchase, but found only air and a mysterious warm liquid. I didn't want to think about what it could be, though I'd only encountered one thing with a texture like it._

_The hole, the light, faded, thinned. Disappeared._

_Gone. Black._

_Nothing._

**~oOo~**

"I spy something... yellow."

"My hair, un?"

"Yup!"

"I spy something cute."

"It's Me!"

"Yes, un."

"Don't you two know any other games?" Sasori raised an eyebrow at the blondes in their bed, tissues sitting here and there on the covers and the floor. "You've been describing each other for the past hour. Aren't you even a little bit bored of it?"

"Nope(un)." They grinned.

The red head sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. "Here. Play Go Fish or something, brats."

Deidara somehow managed to catch the pack of cards Sasori threw at them, staring at it for a moment. "Thanks, Danna(un)!" They chorused.

Within five minutes, Sasori was ready to kill both of the brats and deal with a pissed off Alice rather than sit through another round of 'go fish.'

"Sasori-Danna?" Kathryn finally asked, handing a five to her lover, "have you seen Terah-nii-chan? I thought she was-" she paused to cough painfully a few times- "going to visit us in solitary. Go fish."

Deidara pouted at her and grabbed another card.

"She's sleeping, brat." Sasori sighed.

The blondes stopped and coughed heavily after attempting to gasp. "T- Terah hasn't slept in a month! I thought she didn't need sleep!" Kat forced out.

"Same -cough- here, hm. -cough cough-"

The red heads eye twitched severely, and he attempted to hit them with a box of tissues. They ducked into coughs just in time, and the box crumpled against the wall, falling on the bed.

"Thanks, Danna!"

Another five minutes were wasted while they coughed and sneezed into tissues.

"Darn. She was going to explain the concept of her bloodline-limit today." Kathryn mused.

Deidara frowned. "Terah has a kekki genkai?"

Kat nodded. "Mm hm. She called it seirei-houmen."

Sasori raised an eyebrow. "'Spirit release?'"

She nodded again. "She said it was a complicated idea, so it would take a few hours to explain. I got curious about her eyes, cause they're all pretty and stuff, and she said it was her clan's specialty."

"You two have been hanging out an awful lot lately, hm. What's going on?" Dei pressed.

"...Nothing~" Both males present gave her their own 'seriously?' looks. "Really, she's just a fun person. I like her."

Dei grinned. "Who doesn't? She bought us presents and she entertains you... and Tobi... And Juugo, Suigetsu, and Hidan."

"Eh, she's alright." Sasori shrugged.

Typical Danna...

**~oOo~**

_This scene was too familiar. I'd thought about it so often I had the whole thing memorized. _

_There was a senbon needle in my hand, and a man tied to a chair before me, blindfolded and gagged, head snapping from side to side frantically. I smiled in cruel pleasure, knowing what I had to do, even though the exact orders had long been forgotten._

_"Hello, dear. It's good to see you again." His heavy breathing picked up speed, becoming terrified gasps. "It's been, what, three days now? So long since we got to play... since It was my turn to teach you a little something." I tapped his nose lightly, and he jerked away from the touch._

_"Where did I leave off last time..." I tapped the side of the needle on my thigh holster, making a soft clang when it repeatedly hit a kunai handle. "Oh, that's right, we were just starting the chakra points. Lets see... The Base chakra, right down near your tail bone, is pretty sensitive." I pricked the mentioned chakra point through the bars of the chair. He jolted up, a muffled whimper coming from his gag._

_"The solar plexus chakra, right above your navel..." Another sharp prick, and other jolt. "Then the Heart and Throat chakra points..." Two more deliberate stabs. "The Third Eye chakra..." A senbon wedged right into his forehead, dead center._

_I stood lightly on the front on his chair, toes right between his knees, and crouched, letting my shins rest on his thighs. "Ready to tell me where your fiends are?" I tugged the gag out, and he sputtered._

_"P-please... D-don't do this!"_

_I glanced over to the window, where my superiors watched coldly. They turned to each other, discussing, then looked back to me and nodded._

_I responded with a psychotic grin, pulling another senbon out. "I guess I have no choice, Zenu-kun!" I sent a small flare of chakra into the needle, raising my hand above his head._

_Time cut to slow motion as my chakra infused senbon slid through the air towards his skull. Moments before it dug into his brain, the world again went black. The air disappeared, and I was left choking on the familiar taste of blood._

_My blood._

**~oOo~**

Juugo sat out in the sun, watching small forest creatures run about. It was quiet, calm, and perfect. For once, Pein had let the rain stop around the base, promising Alice at least a week of sunshine after Kathryn and Deidara both pneumonia, and the members were taking advantage of it.

Well, some of them.

Suigetsu, Kisame, and Hidan had gone off to train outside and get fresh air while they attempted to rip each others throats out. Karin, Sasuke, Itachi and Alice were off on a walk with Sable, mostly because Karin had been required to stay near at least two other members after Terah and Alice had tag-teamed her and very nearly severed her head. Sasori had been ordered to watch over Kat and Dei while they suffered alone, Kakuzu visiting now and then to relieve him and check on the effects of the medicine he had been feeding them, and Pein and Konan were doing whatever it was they did all day.

_In fact, _the orange-haired man thought, _Terah's the only one that didn't want to get outside... Sasori said something about her sleeping... Why would she sleep in on such a beautiful day?_

He shrugged to himself, gently petting the wing of a cardinal as it landed beside him.

**~oOo~**

Kisame grinned, Samehada wriggling slightly in his grasp as he faced Suigetsu and Hidan. Had Terah been there, it would have been an even battle, two-on-two, most likely Himself and Hidan against her and Suigetsu. How ever, Terah was snoozing, and as such, it was an all out battle between the three of them.

Suigetsu launched head-first into an attack, swinging Kubikiribocho at Kisame's legs, only to receive a kick between his shoulder blades from Hidan using him as a stepping stone to tackle the taller swordsman. Suigetsu, thrown off balance, tumbled over the grass, rolling dazed to a stop.

Hidan's tackle led to Kisame lifting him mid-leap and tossing him into the air, using Samehada as a pivot to kick the zealot in the face as he fell back towards the ground, consequently slamming into a tree. Cursing like a sailor, he jumped up again, pulling his scythe loose and swinging it over his head.

And then suddenly, he _had_ no head, as it was rolling away on the grass, his body collapsing on the ground in front of a very pissed off Suigetsu.

"That's for stepping on me."

With that said, he launched back into attacking Kisame, heaving Kubikiribocho swiftly and powerfully, taking the offense and forcing Kisame into a defensive posture. They continued in this pattern for a few minutes, Kisame occasionally throwing an offensive swing to push Suigetsu back when he felt that they were getting too far from the clearing Hidan was left in, until he got bored.

With a single sweep, he knocked Suigetsu's legs out from under him, punting him a good thirty meters back to the clearing.

"I Win!" He grinned, latching Samehada in it's holster.

His opponents didn't respond, one still trying to roll his head back to his body, the other suffering minor head trauma and a severely deflated ego.

"Best two out of three?"

**~oOo~**

Alice smiled up at the sun, enjoying the warmth on her skin. Itachi sat beside her, fingers intertwined between them as he waited patiently for her to give the word to go home. Sable was dashing around the trees nearby, chasing after anything that caught her attention, including the small smoke-bomb-like balls that Sasuke tossed into the forest every few minutes, which spewed powder and glitter instead of smoke. Karin was keeping watch over the area, leaping from tree-top to tree-top as an excuse to avoid Alice- who knew if she would order her Uchiha's on her for being too close?

It was a lot calmer than it would have been at the base on a rainy day. It was a lot calmer than it would have been if anyone else had been there, too.

It was almost _too_ quiet.

"'Tachi? Is it just me, or is it really quiet?" The brunette muttered under her breath, wary of yet another abduction attempt.

"We're fine. Karin, Sasuke and I are all on the alert, despite how we look." Itachi smiled faintly, leaning back to rest his head on her shoulder.(I couldn't help it- I pictured them like this and almost died from cute overload)

Alice "hmm"d to herself, lightly running her fingers through his pony tail.

"Honestly, I think you're suffering withdrawal from lack of Kathryn, Deidara, and-slash-or Terah being around to cause a ruckus."

"That sounded so un-Uchiha-like."

"In Terah's words, 'You know you love it.'"

Alice laughed, shaking her head just a little bit. "You know I do. And you're probably right. Terah's become a much more self-sufficient Kathryn to me. But I don't mind too much. She helped me with my plan to assassinate Karin."

"She's like a half-breed clone of you and Kathryn."

"That... Sounds really cool."

"...Hn."

**~oOo~**

"That was a fucking unfair fight! I want my damn rematch!"

"Shut up, Hidan. You weren't paying attention to your surroundings. I cut off your head. Kisame kicked my ass much more severely than I will admit in front of anyone else. Therefore, Kisame wins."

"Pretty sound logic."

"Fuck you, Fish face!"

"All of you be quiet."

Alice smiled sweetly from Itachi's back, not even trying to walk on her own, Sable trotting at his heels. "C'mon, We're playing Twister in the living room, and by 'we', I mean you guys, because my back and shoulder prevent me from playing. I can, however, watch, and laugh when you guys get into awkward positions."

"Why?"

"Because I said so."

"Pretty sound logic."

"Shut the hell up!"

Suigetsu snickered, following Alice, Itachi, Sable, Sasuke and Karin into the base.

**~oOo~**

As Alice said, she spent quite a bit of time laughing at the various two-man matches, where each player would be too stubborn to give up when they were locked in an extremely awkward position, such as Suigetsu getting a face-full of Kisame crotch, Kakuzu and Hidan almost- _almost-_ having a yaoi moment, and Karin getting squished by Juugo.

She required several minutes between rounds, in order to recover from her laughter.

Suigetsu, Hidan, and Karin refused to get within ten feet of their competitors for several hours afterwards, causing more extreme fits of laughter when ever Alice saw a face go red in embarrassment as they passed in the hallways.

**~oOo~**

_"She's just a child! How can you expect her to be near professional level when she's only six?" A woman's voice demanded, clearly angered by something the other party had stated moments before my feet had carried me to the door.  
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_"Hold your tongue before a man of higher stature! She lives on his land, she eats food from his table, and she lives off of money from his pocket! She will meet his standards or she will become self-sufficient and live on her own!" A males voice snapped, pacing footsteps punctuating his words.  
><em>

_"Just give her a few more weeks! She still has time to become a genin, and then the chunin exams are another two months after graduation! She can be ready!" The woman continued, ignoring the threat from her male counterpart.  
><em>

_"I said Hold Your Tongue!"_

_A resonating slap._

_"I will give her two weeks." A different male voice stated. "In that time, she is to be trained to my previously set standards. If she is not, then you will be required to find another use for her, or all three of you shall be terminated."_

_"Arigatou, Hyuuga sama." The man thanked. More footsteps, and I dove to the side of the door, hiding in the shadows as my father opened the wooden slab, shoving my mother out in front of him._

_They were only a few yards down the hallway before my mother broke free, turning to glare at him fearlessly, a red mark faintly visible on her cheek in the weak lighting. "What does he mean, another use? She is my daughter, and I will not allow you to make her a part of that... that... Disgrace!"_

_"You're lucky she's even got two weeks to make herself presentable! If we're lucky, we can find a half decent place for her in the brothel. Don't you dare try and use that failure of a kekki genkai on me! I am your husband and she is MY Spawn! I will do as I see fit with her! If I find even the hint of conspiracy to get her out of here and disgrace MY name, SHE will be the one to pay the price!" The back of his hand hit her other cheek, snapping her face to the side. "If you had brought me a worthy heir, I wouldn't have had to suffer the dishonor of a wife who won't listen to me, or being the father of such a pathetic child, or becoming the shame of the Hyuuga family!"_

_I watched silently, eyes wide and wet, as he shoved her onward down the hallway_

Two weeks, _my young mind reminded me. _Two weeks left before he turns us in. Two weeks to make momma proud.

_My fists clenched, and I wiped the tears from my eyes before they could fall. I WOULD become powerful. I would be stronger than Hyuuga-sama's own children! I would make them proud of me!_

_A fist to the back of my head disagreed._

**~oOo~**

"No!"

I shot up, breathing heavy, neck and face damp. My arms were shuddering as they supported me, threatening to give out at any moment.

"It wasn't real. It wasn't real. You are NOT that little girl." I chanted to myself, then pathetically added, "Not anymore."

I looked around, vaguely remembering where I was, and rolled out of the bed, rising to my feet. The door opened seconds after the head rush faded, admitting Sasori.

"It's about time. Alice made breakfast." I nodded, rubbing my eyes and starting towards the door. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a weird dream." I smiled falsely, passing him for the hallway, and the kitchen a few minutes later.

"Good morning, everyone!" I said in what I thought was a cheerful tone.

"Morning." Kisame, Hidan, Suigetsu and Itachi chorused. Juugo muttered his usual quiet greeting, Karin and Kakuzu nodded.

I helped myself to some of Alice's pancakes, dribbling syrup over them and sitting in an empty seat between Kisame and Juugo. They both glanced at me, clearly stating that they saw through my fake happiness without saying anything. I responded with a smile promising an explaination later.

_Maybe, _I added in my head, nomming a forkful of pancake.

**~oOo~**

**Yes, Terah slept through an entire day. About twenty three hours to be precise.**

**I forgot to thank the wonderfully amazing DaniZaraki for betaing the last chapter and for writing the story that this is part of in an alternate dimension.**

**I would also like to thank the FOUR PEOPLE who reviewed last chapter. Reviews make me squeal and cheer and dance like a complete psycho.**

**Fun Fact:** Terah is a terrible cook. However, she makes the absolute **BEST** sweets and desserts.

**Random question: **If you could chose one event you want to see in this story that won't affect the plot I am basing off of Dani's story, what would you like to see?

**Tata for now, dearies!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11! It's epic, right?**

**Anyways, after my epic filler chapter, we aim to get back on track with the plot. AKA, last filler chapter... FOR NOW...  
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**Right now, I'm back before chapter 77. We have a long ways to go.**

**Yeah. Lets roll.**

**~oOo~**

I sent a thin wave of chakra down the hall I planned to take, muscles tensed and ready to run if I felt even the faintest flicker of chakra from anyone else. Sensing nothing, I turned the corner and dashed down the hallway, chakra hidden as much as physically possible without being dead or Alice/Kathryn.

Why am I taking such care to stay hidden, you ask?

Because my silent promise for an explanation to Kisame and Juugo was being enforced by the aforementioned males, who had been hunting me down since breakfast to talk. I'd been almost cornered three times now.

It was getting ridiculous.

I paused at the corner, sending another pulse. Just a few more hallways, and I'd reach the basement...

I rounded the corner, legs thrusting me forth at high speeds... and right into the chest of a waiting Kisame, who, the moment I made contact, pretty much straight-jacket'ed me with his arms, holding me tight to his person without actually harming me. He quickly strode off down the hall, Past Juugo- who joined us in our walk- and _away _from my basement.

...Kami-dammnit...

I struggled at first- I changed into a fox twice!- but they only responded by getting a firm grip on my tail and dragging me along again until I changed back.

Then I gave up and allowed myself to be carried away to Juugo's room.

Fuckers. Tag-teaming me like that.

...it was fucking GENIUS!

I huffed when he dropped me on the bed, pouting at the wall.

"Terah..." Kisame started.

"I'll get Sasuke to genjutsu you!" Juugo threatened.

I sighed deeply, rolling over onto my back, then sitting upright. "Now, I know you guys think there's something wrong with me, but I can assure you that I am-"

"If you say 'fine,' I will smack you."

"...Violent!" I pouted again. "Alright, so I'm not fine. But I will be alright. I'm not going to have a panic attack or a mental breakdown or something. I WILL be fine. It'll take a little bit, maybe a couple hours, but I will. I'm glad you guys care, though."

"C'mon, You don't really expect us to just accept that and let you walk away, do you?"

"A girl can hope."

Juugo let out an 'ugh' and flopped down beside me, staring up at my face. Or my ears, not sure. Kisame joined us on my other side a few seconds later. I glanced between them for a little bit, that uncomfortable bubbly/fiery feeling in my stomach growing more and more powerful with every second that passed. I opened my mouth several times to talk, only to shut it again and go back to looking. It must have taken an hour, at least, and silence makes me wanna hurt someone...

My shoulders tensed up, my head shrinking into my chest as I sucked air in down to my toes.

"It started when I was four."

With those six words, a dam burst somewhere in my mind, and a steady stream of words flowed like a river from my lips, weaving an ugly tale that was my life.

The loving story of my mother training me within an inch of my strength, all to make sure I wouldn't be assassinated or sent away, the murderous tale of fighting a long, hard two weeks to train with my mother and be pretty for my father as he took countless pictures of various outfits and poses without the higher-ups figuring out what was going on.

I cried- much more and harder than I would like to admit, mind you- as I punched through the terrible ordeal of spending four years in a brothel to earn enough to keep me with my mother, and out of the streets. Everything I'd ever needed to say, spilling out uncontrolled, every detail I had left out in discussions with anyone else, unrestricted and as hard as a punch in the gut.

I wanted so badly to skip over my slave-trade years, but the story toppled out never the less. I even spilled about my friendship with a man that would lead to my undoing, to the murder of my entire family, and my miraculous escape, only to wish I was strong enough to take my own life and get away from the terrible grief of leaving everyone who had ever cared about me. I told the story of traveling across the entire continent, searching for the assassin, following up every lead I got, no matter how far-fetched it sounded, untill finally breaking down and settling for waiting until he came for me.

I spent a lot of time crying. Most of it was spent leaning into Kisame while he hugged me like the protective shark he really was, with Juugo rubbing my shoulder soothingly. It was a lot more comforting than anyone would have expected.

"...And eventually, I found Mikaria in town, and she invited me to stay with her family for a while." I sniffled, wiping at my face AGAIN. "She let me try playing chef one night. I gave everyone food poisoning." I laughed humorlessly. "I make a damn good cake, though... anything dessert-ish.

"And the worst parts? I never did murder that bastard for killing my family... and me, if you get real technical. And I never managed to unlock everything my Kekki Genkai could do. Only way I'll ever know is if I break into Konoha and steal the Mitsume files from storage. That's why they're after me- I technically defected from there, though I graduated late at Sunagakure."

"Don't worry, Terah. You'll get your chance." Juugo promised.

"By the way... What _is _your Kekki genkai?" Kisame asked, playing with my hair.

I smiled a bit, patting Juugo's hand on my shoulder. "It takes a lot of explaining... But you sat through my blubbering over life, didn't you? Well, I'm not informed of all the specifics, but it's based on a form Tai-slash-ninjustsu that my great- to what ever extent grandmother perfected..."

**~oOo~**

"OI! BITCHES! COME GET FOOD!"

I smiled at Alice's tone. She was always refering to us as her bitches. Honestly, we probably are. She pretty much owns us all, like guard dogs.

At the moment, Kisame, Juugo and I were lounging on Juugo's bed pointing out shapes in the splattery ink on the ceiling, mostly to pass time until my face wasn't all red and puffy from being a cry baby and my throat wasn't all choked up from being emotional and shit. It was Juugo's turn, and he was starting to point out a goose when we received our summons. We gave a unanimous sigh, then sat up and started for the kitchen.

Hey, criminals gotta eat. And Alice makes _killer _food.

No pun intended.

The kitchen was almost empty when we arrived, save for Alice in position by the stove and Itachi standing behind her, arms wrapped around her waist like the epic boyfriend she always ranted he was. Deidara and Kathryn were next, with Sasori close behind. Then came Suigetsu, Sasuke, and Kakuzu, then finally Hidan and Karin. Alice dished out food and placed it around the table, telling us to 'eat or starve,' and we all dug in, giving her a thanks in our own ways. AKA, Kat, Dei, Juugo, Itachi and Kisame said 'Thank you,' Kakuzu, Hidan, Suigetsu and Sasuke grunted or 'hn'd like Uchiha's do, Sasori insulted her cooking skills, and everyone else nodded and dug in. Konan came by a few minutes in to get food for her and Leader-sama, thanking Alice before disappearing.

I nommed my food like a me, eating Pork chops and veggie mixed stuff. I would have to ask about Dango later...

"So, Kisame, where you been all day?" Alice asked, nibbling food like usual against the counter.

"Stalking Zetsu." He replied seriously, then cracked a smile. "I was talking with Juugo and Terah."

Alice raised an eyebrow. "Three-way? Unfair! That was my goal!"

There was laughter scattered around the table. I smiled past the faint blush the comment sparked, a hunk of pork chop speared on my fork as I tugged at it with my teeth. I could have cut it up like Kakuzu was doing, or chewed off a bite at a time like Kat did, instead of tearing at it like an animal, but that took away all the fun.

As was typical, Alice and Sasori got into another sarcastic battle, this one full of sexual innuendos.

"You're just jealous that Terah beat you to Juugo." Sasori said offhandedly. I snorted, finally ripping loose some meat.

"Well he's _my_ non-godly ginger. Of course I'm jealous." Alice scoffed. She smirked and looked at Sasori suggestively. "Though, I beat everyone to you."

"That's what you think." Sasori sniffed, boredly.

"You whore!" Alice accused. "You said I was your first."

Sasori shrugged. "Maybe you were, maybe you weren't."

"I definitely was the best though." Alice stated. "Hey, maybe we should include Terah next time. I know Itachi needs a break. You're a bit too rough on him. He likes sweet, gentle love. You're into the S&M shit. She might like that. She didn't mind the collar and leash we used on her in the woods."

I blinked, looking up, face turning red. "Hua da fuq?"(translation: "What the fuck?")

The redheaded puppet master raised his eyebrow. "Is that so? I wasn't aware. What, pray tell, did you do in that forest?"

"Unspeakable things." Alice whispered. "Samehada isn't the only huge sword Kisame owns."

Kisame face-palmed. I face planted in the table. "Inappropriate! I lost my appetite!"

Sasori chuckled. "I'm sure it was no problem for you, Alice. You tend to be quite capable of handling huge swords."

"You're insinuating I'm a slut aren't you, you dick!" Alice gasped. "It takes one to know one you redheaded hooker."

"You didn't deny it." Sasori shrugged.

"Neither did you." Alice pointed out. "You must be a cheap, dirty whore. How else would you get customers with that ugly mug of yours and that disgusting stench?"

Sasori smirked. "I don't know Alice, you tell me. You didn't seem to have a problem with it last night."

Alice looked away from him. "I may or may not have found your stash of drugs. You should be ashamed of yourself, Sasori."

"I need to take them so I can handle dealing with you." He deadpanned.

"Is that so? I thought it was so you could look in the mirror in the morning and not puke." Alice questioned.

Sasori shook his head. "How do you sleep at night?"

"You wear me out." Alice stated. "Hey, Terah, Sasori can help you sleep. He's good at wearing people out if you know what I mean."

"What the Hell?" I whined to the wood grains. "You drag me into a fight I have no chance of winning! That's more unfair than me stealing Kisame and Juugo!" I hit my head on the table when I realized everyone snickered at me. "WRONG! SO WRONG!"

"Don't worry, Terah. You'll evolve to work with our awesomeness." Alice managed to forced down her laughs and pat me on the head like a pet.

She really does own us all.

"Now stop sulking and blushing like a Hinata and finish your pork chops."

"Yes, Alice-chan..."

She and Sasori quickly got into another sarcasm battle. Mercifully, they left me out of this one. I was left in peace to force down the remainder of my food... until they decided to close in on eachother. And guess who was caught in the middle?

Yeah. Me.

"Personal space!" I interrupted, pushing them apart when they were almost touching my chair. "I'm being squished! Not happy!"

"We'll finish this later, Pinnochio." Alice growled playfully.

"I'm ready whenever. You know where to find me." Sasori then left.

I groaned. "I think my brain is drowning in blood."

"Toughen up, girl. Learn to love it!"

**~oOo~**

**I love this chapter. it turned out so well.**

**Here's my new question: What do you think Terah's Kekki genaki(Bloodline limit) does? Your hints are its name, and her foreshadowing about the bastard who tried to kill her. I may have dropped other hints without noticing, but it's up to you.**

Think about it! **First right answer gets Something of their choice, be it a One-shot like Dani does, or a failure of a fanart that I'm not good at, or whatever else You might suggest!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Yup, here it is! Chapter 12! Yay me!**

**So, now that we've found our plot again, We revisit chapter 77 of Man, I Miss the Kitties.**

**For those of you who are tempted to go check, this means the chapter that Alice gets kidnapped by Konoha.**

**Epicness!**

**By the way, if I don't get ten reviews for this chapter- ten, because I've seen how many hits I've gotten on previous chapters and you reviewed a whole bunch on those sixth and seventh chapters- then I will be killing off Terah! I Mean it! I have killed my characters before!**

**Now read, then review. Or Terah will be punished.**

**~oOo~**

I sighed once again, sprawled back-to-back with Kisame on the couch. He had refused to move when I came in to sit down, and thus had decided to test Alice's statement that he was comfortable to lay on.

And dammit, she was right.

Now, we were waiting for something exciting to happen.

...This could take a while.

Alice wandered in eventually, smirked at me, and sprawled on the other couch beside Itachi. "I told you he was comfortable."

"You did." I admitted, mostly to the ceiling. "And you were right."

Sasori snorted, leaning against the wall like usual, 'cause he's too cool to sit on the couch with the rest of us.

Hidan eventually wandered in, flopping down beside Alice. "I'm glad you aren't at the redheaded bitch's throat anymore. I couldn't take much more of the fucking glaring and killer intent you were leaking." He said flatly.

"Same here." I muttered.

She looked up from the black wolf puppy that was curled up in her lap. "That's not very nice, Hidan. Sasori and I get along very well."

"Fuck you, Alice." Sasori growled.

"No thank you, that's Itachi's job." She smirked.

"You were singing a different tune last night." I answered inattentively.

There was suddenly silence.

"...Did I say that out loud?"

"Yes," The blue shark man rumbled beneath me, "Yes you did."

"Damn, Terah! Nice comeback!" Alice approved. "We've taught her well, Sasori."

"She's right though. You were singing a _very _different tune last night."

She shrugged. "What can I say? You've got some great moves, for an old man puppet."

"Getting off the topic of you bitches and your sarcasm, what made you and the whore stop with the hostility?" Hidan asked.

Alice shrugged again, glancing discreetly at Karin, who looked away. "We came to an agreement."

"Meaning?"

Kisame snickered, the vibrations feeling like the really loud thunder that shakes your bones. "Meaning she realized Alice is in charge."

"I still give Konan authority," Alice corrected, lifting her finger. "But the rest of you are all my bitches. Hell, even Pein is my bitch. I just let him have authority so I don't hurt his ego. You know, him with his God complex and all."

"Your bluntness always amazes me." Sasori stated.

"You know you love it."

"True."

I smirked. "That's not all you love."

Alice grinned. "I take full credit for training her!"

There were chuckles from Juugo, Kisame and I while the rest either ignored it or smiled/smirked. Seconds later, Tobi bounced into the room, full of the hyper energy that drains everyone else in his vicinity. "Alice-Chan! Leader-sama wants to see you! And Karin, Juugo, and Terah, too!"

Alice 'hmph'd. "Weird choice of people." After a moment, she shrugged, Kissing Itachi, then depositing Sable on Hidan's lap. "See you in a bit."

They had their typical goodbye-scene, while I attempted to find the motivation to get up. "Terah, get your lazy ass off the couch!"

"But I'm lazy!" I protested.

"Kisame! Assistance!"

Said Kisame then rolled over on his side, making me fall on the floor beside the couch. "You evil woman.." I hissed, rolling to my feet. Too lazy to stand up all the way, I morphed into a smaller fox and sat in front of Juugo. "Juugoooo, I'm pathetic." I pouted. "Carry me?"

He chuckled, lifting me easily to his shoulder with one hand. "Happy?"

"Exceedingly." I purred, hanging myself over his brawny shoulder as I had done several times before on boring side missions.

"You guys ready to go see Pein?" Alice asked, petting her shark in praise.

Juugo stood up, and I shuffled a bit to get comfy. "Let's go." Karin simply nodded, because with her luck, she'd say something that pissed me or Alice off and get her head nearly ripped off and fed to Zetsu.

When we got to our leaders door, Alice knocked, then lead us in when he declared we could enter.

"Thank you for coming Alice." He stated, then nodded to the rest of us.

Favoritism!

"Don't mention it, my fearless leader. I'm always happy to see you and Konan." She beamed and waved at the woman in the corner. I lifted a paw to almost-wave at her, then scrambled to not fall off of Mount Juugo. Said Woman giggled and waved back. "What's up?"

"I need you four to retrieve some supplies from a small village about four miles away. My people have become suspicious, not to mention the supplies that were damaged in my recent battle."

Alice nodded. "I understand. You want Juugo and Karin to come with me? What about Suigetsu and Sasuke?"

"They will stay here." He replied calmly. "You four are more than capable of gathering these supplies without further aid." He gave Alice a serious look. "And no killing your shinobi protectors, Alice. I don't care what sort of grudge you have."

"Sounds simple enough. I promised I wouldn't touch her unless he touches what is mine." She shrugged. "When do you want us to leave?"

"As soon as you're ready." He produced a scroll from Pein-knows-where and gave it to Alice, who passed it on to me, who sat on Juugo's shoulder looking very much like a plushie, now balanced out from my previous near-fall by the scroll in my paws. "Those are the supplies we need."

Alice turned to me over her shoulder. "I can't read Japanese, so you guys handle the scroll." She turned back to Pein with a Salute, then twitched randomly. He responded by having a similar spaz attack. "We'll be back later, Pein."

"Be careful. Konoha is looking for you." He warned her, like a concerned parent. "And please keep a low profile. You are a wanted criminal now, Alice. It would be very unfortunate for anything to happen to you."

Two simultaneous "pshh"s. That was an understatement. Itachi would murder us all If Alice got hurt.

"I know." She stated. "Juugo's got my back, Terah Loves me, and Karin's terrified of us both, so I'll be safe."

Juugo dipped his head, and I scrambled again to keep my position. "I Won't let anything happen to Alice."

Karin adjusted her glasses, still not looking Alice in the face. She reminded me faintly of a wolf who'd been accepted into a new pack. "I'll keep on the lookout for any enemy shinobi."

She was so scared of us. The non-ninja, chakra-less psycho, and the little chibi fox. We're terrifying.

"I'll keep her safe! Who else can teach me the ways of sarcasm?" I smiled a foxy-smile, literally.

"There's always Sasori." Alice added.

"Not if you're not around. Itachi'll kill us all." I rolled my eyes.

"Right." She smiled. "Let's go get ready."

"Before you go, I would like to remind your partners that, should any harm befall you and I discover they are the cause, they will not live to see another day." Karin gulped nervously, Juugo nodded again- to which I protested, as I nearly fell off again and needed him to push me back into place- then I smiled said it wouldn't be problem. Alice smiled and told him he was a sweetheart.

"Konan, I request that you praise him well for that." She smiled. The bluenette laughed and agreed, shooing us off into the hallway.

Juugo and Karin left Alice to return to her Itachi, And I waited on his shoulder untill they turned down their hallway to jump down and walk a few meters along to my own room, morphing back to a form with apposable thumbs to gather my usual weaponry pouches, clip my collar in place as I'd been too lazy to do so earlier, and slip on my awesome cloak, then wander back to the entrance.

Sasuke and Suigetsu met up with our ninja trio there to warn us that we were to keep his Alice safe. Yes, he said HIS Alice.

He so loves her.

We all do.

Alice was the last one to arrive, Itachi at her side as she scolded them for being overprotective. "C'mon, Juugo, Karin, Terah. Let's get this over with."

"Be careful," Kisame reminded us, ruffling Mine and Alice's hair as he hugged us. We were awesome enough for hugs. I laughed, finger-brushing through the mess as Alice fussed over the tangled mop he had made of her hair, in her words.

"Alright, I get it, be safe. Bye guys! I love you all! Except you, Sasori! You're just a grumpy old puppet!"

"Fuck you, Alice!"

"Love you too!"

I smiled and returned to Juugo's shoulder as a mini fox, while he tossed Alice over his other side. We shouted a hurried goodbye before following Karin out the door.

**~oOo~**

As Juugo wandered through the grocery store beside Karin, Alice and me both dangling over his shoulders- She decided she wanted to try it, since I was so keen on that mode of transport- said brunette frowned, glancing at us. "Hey guys?"

Juugo and I both looked over at her. "Yes Alice?"

"First off, that sync was creepy. Second, I have a bad feeling about this."

I noticed her shudder faintly. Karin frowned while my stomach adopted a heard of bumble bees. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know. I just have a bad feeling something bad is going to happen. Maybe it's just me being overly negative." I pouted at Alice's response.

"No, it's not just you. I get those feelings too, but I've been ignoring it for the past half hour 'cause I thought it was just my whore detector going off." Karin glared at me, then turned away.

"I don't sense anything." She mumbled.

"Probably just the whore detector, Alice." I added. Karin's glare deepened, and if looks could kill, the floor would be smoking. I couldn't smile, however, because that feeling I was pretty sure wasn't my whore detector was sliding along my spine, and I shuddered, hiding it with a full-out head shake to fluff my fur. "But just in case... I'm not here."

I left the shopping list in Juugo's hand and dove into Alice's backpack. My small fox size made it easy to look like a plushie in her bag among the shit she'd brought with for some reason or another. I could almost _hear_ Alice's eyes roll as we continued with our shopping, then exited the store.

"Dammit, that feelings back." Alice hissed. "I really don't like this."

Alice had been walking for a while now, and I hissed at her to get to Juugo, because I had that buzz in my ears that made me extra paranoid.

"I don't sense anything, Alice." Juugo's voice stated. I'm fairly sure Karin was going to agree, untill she gasped.

"Shit!"

"Oh, Jashin... What is it?" Alice asked, shuffling to the left.

"Four Konoha Shinobi are heading our way. We've gotta go, and fast!"

"Damn it all..." I felt her take a full step this time, then felt and heard the whoosh of a shinobi gliding through the air. Alice stopped, then started falling. Someone caught her, then jumped back, away from our fellow Akatsuki.

"Sensei, I have her. We need to go. I'm sure they have backup close by."

I heard the distinct noise of metal digging into dirt, and tried very hard not to breathe.

"Good work Neji. I am surprised you Byakugan can see her so well."

"She's the only person I know of without Chakra."

"Alice!" Juugo growled, his heavy steps thumping the ground.

"Shit! They're going to kill us if we don't get her back! I just fucking got off the hit list and I don't want to get back on it! The Leader will destroy us!"

"We have to go, Gai-sensei."

There was more talk, but I couldn't focus on it. As 'Neji' started running with Alice and I, I heard Sasuke make his appearence, Suigetsu at his side. There was a breif scuffle, and Alice and I were handed off to another person- 'Lee,' I think- And he was off, Wind whistling past as he ran.

Then it Hit me.

Alice was just kidnapped.

..._I _was just kidnapped.

...Itachi's going to kill them.

**~oOo~**

**Again, I want TEN reviews, or Terah Dies.**

**Also, I got one possible answer for my question about Terah's Kekki Genkai. The hint was not in her Last Name, it was in the Name of her Kekki Genkai. Sasori translates it in the chapter with Terah's dreams/nightmares and the cutscenes for the others. That was chapter ten, wasn't it?**

**Yeah.**

**New Question: What do you think I'm going to have happen with Terah in Konoha? Will she break? Will Ibiki torture her first, or will Inoichi attempt to mind-fuck her?**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13.**

****WARNING: Graphic Violence ahead. Lee, Gai, Tenten, Neji, and Terah will be injured, and it will be described in detail. You have been warned.****

**So, enjoy.**

**~oOo~**

Whoever it was that had taken off with Alice and I must have been running for a good hour without stopping before he finally slowed, eventually coming to a stop and laying Alice down on her side. The backpack I was hiding in was pulled off, and my muscles tensed, preparing to spring. The flap swung open, and a black bowl cut came into view.

I let out a rather feral snarl, lunging out at him. My claws dug into his face, my feet pulling in to slam into his chest for a chakra enhanced kick to his upper chest. I dropped to the floor as he flew back, shaking out my fur and more than tripling in size from my small, knee-high plushie form to an overgrown-bear sized fox, furry face pulling back to expose my teeth.

Greenie recovered quickly, and tried to tackle me, only to take a full-force head-butt to his abdominals. I winced, internally reminding myself that headbutts hurt everyone involved, then tackled him as he jumped up again. We plowed through the wall easily, rolling about on the ground as I tore at his body, leaving deep gouges in his flesh as he tried to shove me off. This was not okay with me.

This fucker just kidnapped Alice, and coincidentally, me, and I was not letting him get any farther away with either of us.

He managed to land a very solid kick on my ribs, and I rolled to the side, shrinking down to a more maneuverable size and diving for him again. I managed to lock my jaws around his forearm and pulled, whipping him to the side and into a tree, where he lost consciousness.

I snarled, then trotted back to Alice where she was still lying unconscious. I nudged her gently with my nose, frowning when she failed to react.

"Fine, then! I pick you up on my own!" I grumbled, working my muzzle under her chest.

"LEE!"

"FUCK!"

I growled,turning away from Alice to the Brunette with Panda-pigtails, A Long Haired Boy with White Eyes, and a blown up version of Lee. "Let us go now, and I promise I won't kill anyone." I growled, the fur on my neck bristling.

"Ten-ten! Neji! Twin Lion Strike!" Green shouted, kneeling beside unconscious Lee.

The two Genin nodded and Took up offensive stances. I glared silently.

They both launched forward at the same time, Kunai drawn. At the last possible second, I bit down on the boy's jacket and slammed him into the girl, and they tumbled recklessly to the side. The boy hopped up again right away, while the girl lay cussing for a moment, and dashed at me again. I bit down his forearm as he attempted to stab me, and swung him in a full circle before throwing him back into the trees. The girl launched at me as I turned, landing a Kunai in my shoulder before I could buck her off, slamming down on her full-force with my front paws, drilling her into the ground a good foot.

I gripped the end of the Kunai with my teeth, pulling it out quickly and whipping it out at Green, who had joined the battle with confidence in Lee surviving. I spent a few moments dodging too-fast punches, getting into the motion, then slammed my head into his chest, following it up with a swift kick from my hind paws.

The boy had returned, and was helping the girl out of her hole while she dug out a handful of shuriken.

"Bring it, bitch! I ain't afraid of those little toys!" I growled, snapping my jaws in what I thought was a menacing threat.

"I don't play with toys. And I don't get mad- I Get Even!" she whipped the blades at me, digging out more with her other hand and throwing them as well, repeatin the process again. I hissed as three dig into my side, dropping to the floor while the metal flew overhead.

Pain exploded in my chest as Green slammed into me, tossing me across the room and into a wall. I struggled to roll over quickly without working the shuriken deeper into my side, and he caught me off guard with a leg drop on my ribs.

I cried out, wincing, and rolled out of the way as he went for another hit, ignoring the metal stars slicing open my muscles. I shoved to my feet, the fur sinking into my skin as I returned to a human form. Green came in for another tackle, and I ducked, slamming my feet into his chest and forcing him to follow through and slam into a tree outside. I rolled back to my feet and struck out at the nearest person, who happened to be the boy, digging my nails into his face and gouging it open to spill crimson on his clothes and the dirt beneath us.

Lastly, I turned to the girl, who growled herself, whipping a Fuma Shuriken out of a scroll and running towards me, the blades spinning faster than should be possible.

I saw red, and she suddenly lost the blade to the wall that had been behind me, with me standing behind her, a fist of hair in one hand, the other shoving her shoulder back, bearing clear access to her throat, and I did the first thing that came to mind.

She screamed bloody murder as my teeth sank into her flesh, trying to claw free, forcing my jaws tighter around her jugular. Her screams got louder, and louder, until I could feel my head splitting open from the intensity.

And then something very sharp dug into my shoulder, and I unlocked my jaw to scream. Green yanked Panda free, compressing a towel over her bleeding throat, while Whitey stumbled over, his hands glowing faintly, ready to knit her skin back together. The blade in my shoulder twisted, and I screamed again, falling to my knees, then my stomach.

Lee had woken up just in time.

Damn heros.

**~oOo~**

I groaned when I regained consciousness, some time later. My shoulder was burning, and my head was pounding, all together a bad morning.

Alice was mumbling to herself, still not quite conscious. I glared around, seeing Neji, Ten-ten, Gai, and Lee around a fire, and growled. I tried to get up, fully intent on beating them into next week, but two things prevented me. The first was my shoulder burning even worse, so my arm gave out.

The second was an all too familiar tugging around my throat, which I instantly recognized as someone having tied me to a fucking _tree _by my _fucking **Leas**_**_h._**

That killed what little mood I had left.

"You little shits better hope I never get loose, or I will murder you dead, and feed you to Zetsu." I grumbled, letting myself fall to the ground.

"Alice grumbles like that too. You two aren't related, are you?" Ten-ten asked.

"Yes. I'm actually her twin sister from an alternate dimension, and the Akatsuki gave us this long awaited reunion we've been needing." I actually used _sarcasm._ And it didn't _suck,_ OR just pop into my head.

"...I can believe that."

"Fuck you."

"Ouch..." Alice grumbled, shifting around a bit. "Jashin damn whoever hit me..."

She suddenly shot up, looking around angrily. "Oh_ fuck_ you guys." She growled. "Do I have a fucking label on me asking others to capture me? Is it like a game to you people? What is with you ninjas and taking people against their will on top of fucking knocking them out! I don't have chakra! You could throw me over your shoulder and carry me to hell and back and I wouldn't be able to do a damn thing! My strength cannot compete with yours, nor can my speed! It is _not_ necessary to knock me out!"

"Hey, Alice. Could you get over here and untie me so I can fight these bitches and go home."

"I would, but I'm not done telling them off."

This resulted in a huge shouting contest which Alice easily won, then finally punched Neji in the face. Lee picked her up, and Gai attempted to strap chakra cuffs on me so he could take me along without me totally murdering him.

I was not happy with that.

As soon as he got in range, I lunged, biting at his hand and drawing blood with my awesome teeth. Alice shouted encouragement as I Pulled him closer and bit at him some more, managing to land another four bloody bites before he got the sense to just knock me out.

That's gonna hurt when I wake up.

**~oOo~**

I regained consciousness this time to Alice's muffled grumbling and bright lights. I mumbled myself, mostly about how I wanted to take a nap and get over this hangover of mine, because I'd had a hallucination that I had been kidnapped with Alice and they were trying to torture me with lack of booze.

Alice chuckled a bit, then yelled something else that was muffled. I forced my eyes open to see that I was, in fact, in the one place that I had never wanted to see again.

The Hokage's Office.

This spun off a whole new round of mumbling and grumbling and cursing about life in general and fate's cruelty.

I zoned out of the talking until I heard someone new enter the room. I looked up to glare at a man with a long scar down his face.

"Ibiki. Where is Inoichi?"

"On a mission in Snow. He'll be back tomorrow."

"Right. You are going to interrogate these two untill he returns, and possibly afterwards as well, to get more information on Akatsuki and their plans, as well as anything they will tell us about the information Alice possesses. Understood?"

"Hai, Tsunade-sama."

"Good." She turned to Alice. "It will be easier if you cooperate."

"Fuck Cooperating. I'm not ratting out my family."

"Yeah, and Fuck you, too. You're gonna get it when 'Tachi gets here. He's gonna fucking kill your asses for taking his Alice away. You fuckers are fucked, and you're gonna wish you'd listened to her. I can't say me, cause I honestly have no fucking clue what I've been rambling about for the past half hour or so."

"I'm sure Ibiki and Inoichi can change your mind." Tsunade glared at me.

I laughed, hard. "Fuck that! I was head of torture and interrogation here before I defected. You should remember, Kakashi! You kept saying it was luck that I didn't make 'em all go insane after one day!"

"Take them away. You are to start interrogation immediately."

"Hai."

I laughed to myself as they dragged me from the room. I knew how to stand the pain.

I'd spent thirteen years taking a hell of a lot more than they could throw at me.

I'd be Just, Fucking, Fine.

**~oOo~**

Day one.

I was in a chair, tied down, and waiting.

Ibiki was already frustrated, having learned that psychology would be unsuccessful, and he'd only spent an hour dissecting what went on in my mind, trying to find out how he could guilt me into talking, but my mind was a hectic mess that even I couldn't sort out half of the time.

Now he was using plain torture.

It hurt, Yeah.

I could've done it better.

He was using a senbon, asking questions and stabbing me where ever he felt was appropriate for the lack of answer. I didn't hurt too much. He would probably continue like this for a few hours, then try something more painful.

More questions, more smart-ass answers, more stabs, minor bleeding.

He finally moved on to a club, bashing me repeatedly. Again, I could've done better.

If he really wanted results, he would break a bone, then beat on it repetitively until the victim lost reaction, then break something else and start beating again. Or, he would blindfold his victim, so they wouldn't know where the next hit was coming from. That could terrify answers out in no time.

But of course, he wasn't me, and that wouldn't work on me anyways.

I was immune, bitch.

But that didn't stop him from trying.

That I could admire.

**~oOo~**

You know those mornings when you fell down a lot the day before, and you were sore all over, and you just didn't want to move?

This was worse. Fifty times worse. No- Five-hundred times worse.

I had been beaten senseless with clubs, both plain and studded, I had been whipped with Pein-knows-what in the weaving, I had been slammed into walls, my head had been bashed open, I think I had broken seven, maybe eight ribs, my jaw was on fire, my shoulder was infected, my legs were fucked to hell and back, I had had poisons injected directly into my bloodstream, and I had even been mind fucked by Kakashi's sharingan.

And I still hadn't cracked.

I wasn't going to, either. The Akatsuki were the family I'd never had. They treated me like I belonged there, not like I was lucky to exist at all.

I missed them a lot.

I missed Alice and Sasori being perverted in the kitchen and slinging insults and such everywhere. I missed Deidara waking us all up with explosions, and Kathryn squealing about it. I missed torturing Hidan untill he chased after me with his scythe in hand, shouting to the high heavens about how I was going to be his next sacrifice. I missed helping Alice and Kathryn plot to murder Karin, and our daily attempts on her life. I missed Suigetsu and his testosterone-driven battle-ready self. I missed Juugo being a sweetheart. I missed Kakuzu and his money-grabbing ways, and Sasuke and Itachi's intelligent conversations over tea and coffee. I missed Pein and Konan being all leader-like and telling everyone they behaved like children.

But most of all, I missed Kisame.

Aparently, I have been slowly falling in love with him over the few months I had been there, and now I missed him like I missed Mikaria and Mom and the others.

My life really sucked right now.

It sucked even more when I was told that, despite the severe snowstorm that had pinned him down in Snow, Inoichi the Mind-raper would be home tomorrow, and he was going to interrogate me, since torture was not working.

Now I had that horrible, I-know-this-is-wrong-but-I-have-to-do-it-anyways feeling because I knew what was going to happen next.

"I-bi-hi?" I slurred, wincing a bit at my broken jaws reaction.

"Yeah?"

"I'm willin' ta ma'e a deal."

He smirked. "I'm listening."

**~oOo~**

**Yeah, so, Terah is being interrogated. She got the fuck beat out of her, too. But she's a tough girl. She can take it.**

**DUN-DUN-DUUUUN! What is Terah planning? Making a deal with Ibiki? WHAT ARE YOU DOING, BITCH? I OWN YOU!**

**Yeah. Please review. They make me squeal and smile and want to type more to keep you guys happy.**

**I have two ways this story could go right now, and it'll all depend on my mood.**

**So, try to choose wisely, 'kay? I'll read your reviews to decide.**

**Lovels you~!  
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	14. Chapter 14

**Here it is, the long awaited Chapter 14!**

**To recap:**

"_I-bi-hi?" _

"_Yeah?"_

"_I'm willin' ta ma'e a deal."_

"_I'm listening."_

**~oOo~**

"And that's all she wanted? She didn't say anything else at all?"

"No, Ma'am, Tsunade-sama."

The busty blonde frowned, her hands clasped in front of her face. It was too simple. The girl had fought tooth and nail- quite literally- against the team that had kidnapped Alice and her, and she hadn't cracked under any pressure they put her through, and now all she wanted in exchange for everything she knew about Akatsuki, was to speak with Alice, a medium 'pizza' which she had briefly explained, and a group meeting with herself, the Hokage, Hiashi Hyuuga and one of her old friends from the compound?

"It must be a trap, or part of some scheme. This is all too easy."

"She has willingly accepted having herself completely restrained during both meetings, and has given no specific time frame for when they need to be done. It's either a very, very sketchy plan, or she's being honest."

"…Tell her we agree to her conditions. But I want the best Anbu Officers you have present at both meetings. And make sure Inoichi is present at the group meeting, just in case she changes her mind."

"Hai, Tsunade-sama."

Five minutes later, in Terah's new cell, where she laid tiredly on a bed roll, she smiled at Ibiki's answer. She thanked him, and gladly accepted the prison food she was passed. She'd have some half decent food later, and she had a couple of long-overdue meetings to look forward to.

"Don't worry, Alice." She muttered to herself, prodding a leek in disgust. "We'll be out of here soon."

**~oOo~**

I sighed happily, laying quietly on the bed roll, my tray for the Pizza abandoned on the floor, licking at pizza sauce that ringed my mouth. One request was out of the way, and it was so worth it. Granted, Alice's food was definitely better, but after a few weeks of prison food, even the chef's sketchy attempt at a pizza were delicious.

I lifted my head when the door opened again and smiled at Ibiki, who scowled back, waving in another two Anbu behind him. "Hello, Ibiki. Is it time to go already?"

He nodded, which honestly didn't reassure me too much, so I lazily sat up so they could bind me. My hands were cuffed twice- once with chakra cuffs, and once with a heavy metal, my ankles were chained together, and they even put a freaking muzzle on me, so I couldn't bite anyone. The last was a thick steel choker, hooked to a chain so they could pull me along without getting clawed or even being range to be, and they lugged me from the room like a slave, down several hallways and eventually into what was Alice's cell.

The brunette didn't respond to our entrance, just sitting in her place against the wall, chains on her wrists and a chocker much like mine around her throat. Ibiki coughed pointedly, and she responded with a tired "Fuck off."

"You've got a visitor."

At this she looked up, and half smiled past a bruised face at me in my not-quite-still-so-battered form. "Ohayo, Alice-chan!"

"Hey, Terah. They letting you out early?" She suddenly frowned. "You didn't rat us out did you?"

I put on a shamed face, then replied, "Te juro que no voy a decir nada. Yo tenía que salir antes de que se Inoichi espalda. Ahora, me gritan como si estuviera enojado."

She paused for a moment, deciphering my message, then snapped on her bitch-face and started screaming. "Qué está pasando, Taré!"

I flinched, giving her pouty eyes. "No voy a dejar que se lo sacarme, pero tiene que quedar bien. Yo soy el único que puede entrar, así que tengo que hacer algo al respecto."

She snarled, snapping back, "De qué demonios estás hablando? Vamos a salir! Van a venir por nosotros, y no vamos a tener que hacer nada! ¿Cómo se va a arreglar?"

My face fell, and she continued to mutter in Spanish. "Voy a utilizar mi línea de sangre. Pero no deje que los niños dejan sin mí. Y no dejes que me Zetsu comer."

"What are you two saying?" Ibiki snapped. We ignored him as Alice shouted some more.

"¡No! No me puedes dejar! Ellos vendrán a buscarnos! Que no le dé a usted!"

Ibiki, now thoroughly ticked, yanked on the chain and started pulling me from the room. I hurried to finish, "Les digo que me entierren en la tierra suave, y sólo dos pies de profundidad o menos! No ataúd! Y... Y lo siento."

Her eyes glistened, and she forced out, "Está bien. Gracias, Taré."

At this, I allowed myself to be pulled from the room, and trudged down the hallways again to sit in my cell and wait. Alice might have forgiven me, but there was no guarantee the others would.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. They pushed me into the room, and finally took off the restraints so I could sit on the bedroll in sadness and grief.

**~oOo~**

Two hours of wallowing later, they returned- this time with an entire troupe of Anbu. Again, I was pulled to my feet, restrained to the max, and dragged from the room. This time, it was to a meeting room, where Tsunade, Hiashi, and the one person who I had sworn to kill were waiting. I was forced into a seat across the room from them, and they each nodded to me.

"You called this meeting, Terah. I suggest you say what you planned to before I change my mind." Tsunade had a stoic expression in place as she watched me.

I nodded slowly to myself, glancing over them all. "Alright, then I'll get straight to the point." I locked eyes with Tsunade. "Hiashi Hyuuga is my uncle, to whatever degree. It was by his order that I was trained to near Jounin level, even though I hadn't graduated from the academy, or even started classes there. It was also on his order that my entire family was eliminated. I was supposed to go, too, but his assassin," I glanced to Riku out of the corner of my eye. His white-blonde hair hung past his shoulders, and his dark eyes narrowed at me. "Got cocky. He wanted to brag. And that gave me enough time to set up one of the two uses my mother had taught me for my bloodline."

Tsunade's eyes were wide, and I could see fear in Hiashi's eyes, though his face hid it well. "What….? You mean he… and you… what?"

"I only wanted you here so you could deal proper justice for my family." I stated, glancing at her. My gaze flickered next to Hiashi. "You thought you'd never see me again, that I would just give up. But I didn't. And I mostly brought you here because I wanted to rub it in your face that, you tried to have me killed, and not only did your assassin fail, but now, I'm a better ninja than your prodigy."

Lastly, my eyes locked with Riku's. "Feigning death is just the surface of what my bloodline can do. And now, I think it's time I showed you what it does full-blast." I smirked, heat in my eyes just like last time I had seen him, and drew up what little chakra I could, just barely enough to work the Jutsu.

Behind my back, I could feel the effort of drawing up so much chakra past the suppressors burning my muscles. The effect of the jutsu itself deadened my legs, burning in my chest like acid. Riku cried out in pain across from me, clawing at his own chest, where I was certain he felt a similar pain.

And then, in a single act of revenge and protection, We both died.

**~oOo~**

**This chapter was short, but I hope you guys found it as epic as I did. **

**I intend to go back over the next few weeks and working some more on the story, because I hate it a bit right now, and Dave has pointed out my lack of body for this whole thing. I hope it will help build suspense, and I can tell you that I'll probably get bored after chapter two and start adding more chapters on here.**

**Yes, I killed Terah. It will not be the end of the story. It will not be one of those 'two or three aftermath chapters and then it's done' things, either.**

**I have a plot for this, and it doesn't end here.**

**Question for You: Am I evil for leaving you with such a huge cliffhanger?**


	15. Chapter 15

**Here we go with chapter 15! I got bored with re-doing old chapters. So here we go, We're back on track, Now be prepared for AKATSUKI ATTACK!**

**Teehee... That was fun to think up. :)**

**~oOo~**

Ibiki and Kakashi stared around the room, both in complete shock. Terah, the kitsune they'd captured with Alice, had withstood almost a week of their hardest torture and interrogation techniques, and then, just to get even with an assassin her relative had sent after her family, she killed herself and Riku Hyūga.

A few ANBU were freaking out on the room, making sure that all the chakra seals were still in place and fully functional, Tsunade was analyzing the corpses to be sure they really were dead, and Hiashi Hyūga, the Head of an entire clan, was being arrested by the ANBU that had managed to think clearly through that little surprise.

"...Why weren't we told she could do this?" Ibiki stared at the deathly-pale girl, crumpled on the ground, arms twisted at uncomfortable angles, a smile still present on her face.

"How are we going to tell Alice?" Kakashi countered. "She went on a big angry rant whenever we talked bad about Akatsuki, and now one of them is dead, and she's going to blame us."

Ibiki furrowed his brow for a few moments, chewing on his lip, and then smirked at Terah's body. "Kakashi, I think I have a plan."

**~oOo~**

**(A great big, huge Arigatou to DaniZaraki for her help getting this chapter done, and for typing up Alice-View for me. Now, attack her with love so she can get that wonderful loved feeling I get whenever I see I have more reviews. :))**

I frowned as I heard locks outside my cell being opened and the creaking of various doors only brought me more confusion. It wasn't time for my daily torture, nor did anyone come to see me besides the random visit from Terah earlier.

Curious, I looked around to the door of my cell to see Ibiki and Kakashi standing before me with a number of ANBU and Terah's limp body.

By the way they were holding her and the slightly pained expression on Kakashi's face, I knew she was dead. I had known it was coming from our Spanish conversation from earlier, but that did nothing to dull the pain I felt at seeing it had actually happened and Terah, the little misfit that had been adopted into the gang of social outcasts, was really gone.

Sure I had lost friends before so it was nothing new to me but it didn't make it hurt any less. One of my best friends died two feet from me three years ago in a car wreck, I had been to more than my fair share of funerals as well. Nothing could stop me from internally mourning for Terah, however. She was my friend, and in the short time I had known her, I had come to love that foxy girl.

Kathryn and the Akatsuki were going to be distraught.

If I ever saw them again, that is…

After the initial shock and pain at seeing Terah's body, anger became the next most prominent. Konoha had driven her to this. Konoha was the reason she was dead. And they had the balls to bring her body before me. It's like they were trying to piss me off.

"Alice." Ibiki began. "Do you know why we're here?"

"Because you suck dick?" I asked. "You're coming out of the closet? Oh! Don't tell me, you and Danzo made love on the Hokage's desk! I always knew there was serious shit wrong with the two of you."

Kakashi stifled a small snicker by looking away from Ibiki.

He stared at me and lifted Terah's body slightly. "We're here to show you what happens when you withhold information. Terah died, trying to protect you because you were too stubborn to answer our questions. You love the Akatsuki enough to risk your life, but you obviously didn't love Terah enough or else she would still be alive."

I started laughing.

Even if I begged Terah to change her mind, she would have killed herself anyway to keep information about the Akatsuki safe. That's how noble and honorable of a Shinobi and friend she was. She died to defend her, new and shortly lived family.

They were insulting her by trying to get me to spill the beans about the Akatsuki.

That shit didn't fly with me.

"What's so funny?" Ibiki demanded.

"You actually think shit like that is going to guilt me into talking? Trust me buddy, I know all about your little mind game and I know what you're aiming at. It isn't going to work because I knew Terah was going to kill herself before you did. She told me herself not an hour ago." I laughed. "So you can shove your attempted guilt trip up your ass and waddle on out of here Scarface."

Ibiki stepped forward and grabbed my chin, jerking my face up so I was forced to look at him. "Don't play tough with me, Alice. I know it's an act."

"You keep telling yourself that, asshole. From this point forward, consider it on." I snapped. "Not only did you drive one of my friends into killing herself, but you had the balls to try and blame it on me. I swear, if I ever get the chance, I will shove Samehada so far up your ass, you'll be choking on bandages for a week."

"Then I guess it's War."

**~oOo~**

_Being dead is such a strange feeling. Like floating, but you still fell... Heavy. Moving was so difficult at first, trying to decipher everything that had changed in such a short time. You can't breathe, but you never relly want to, either. I'm not even sure if I can talk anymore. I still have trouble moving, like a baby thet's still trying to learn how to crawl. It took me almost too long to find a way to follow Ibiki and Kakashi when they carried my dead body from the room. I... don't really know how I managed to do that..._

_And now, I was trying to get closer to Alice where she lay on a table for torture, bleeding heavily. I couldn't just wait and watch. I had to do something. But I don't know if I can do _anything_. Still have to try though._

_The trick was to think about where you were going, not how you got there. Just move... glide, walk, anything..._

_I got to her side and reached out, trying to brush her hair to let her know I was there, but my hand simply faded straight through her. It might have been my imagination, but I could swear she smiled just a tiny bit when I tried again with the same result, then settled for standing there, hand hovering over her arm._

_I can't change it, but I would stand here for a year and keep her company. She wouldn't be alone._

Not anymore.

**~oOo~**

Kisame grunted as he heaved Samehada once again to slash open a handful of Anbu who got in his way. Behind him, he heard Itachi's katana severing the head of another three in one sweep. It was easy to tell when the man was pissed, once you got to know him, and the violence was a sure sign.

They continued to move through the village, brutally slaying anyone who got in the way, untill they came upon Kakuzu and Sasori taking a fighting stance in front of Kakashi and Gai. "We do not have time for this. We will find Alice and Terah before we destroy the village. Leader has given us enough time to find them and get out of his way." Another shout from Hidan cut the air as he no dobt slaughtered five or ten people at once. "Where are they, Kakashi?" Itachi demanded coolly.

"I won't tell you." Kakashi stated, his Sharingan whirling threateningly. "You have done enough to that kid. You're nothing but trouble for her! She's just a child, and Terah's no better off!"

"They're happy with us." Kisame growled, baring his sharp, pointed teeth at him. He brandished Samehada angrily, flaring his chakra ominously. "We protect her better than you bastards ever could. Terah left you forever ago. Now give them back."

"No." Kakashi said firmly.

Itachi stepped forward, instantly gaining the attention of all of the present Konoha Shinobi. His abilities were well known and all of the leaf ninja knew not to underestimate the Uchiha the unhesitatingly murdered his entire clan in a single night. Itachi was not someone to take your eyes off of. "I'm afraid you won't have a choice, Kakashi." Itachi growled. "Alice is mine. And no one is going to keep her from me."

Sharingan spinning, Itachi easily captured Kakashi in his gensutsu, digging through memories. Less than a minute passed before he blinked and glared downat Kakashi, hatred clear in his eyes.

Alice was suffering, in pain.

Terah was dead and still chained up.

Itachi is not okay with that.

"Itachi?" Kakuzu asked, taking a defensive stance in front of the Uchiha. He tore Itachi from his anger induced trance and brought him back to the issue at hand.

"I've found her." Itachi stated, hiding his anger with his stoic tone. "Kisame, Sasori, Kakuzu, come with me."

The quartet took off. Gai charged off after them, only to narrowly avoid a bomb dropped by Deidara. "ART IS AN EXPLOSION!"

Minutes later, Itachi, Kisame, Kakuzu and Sasori all slipped into the prison with ease, moving soundlessly as they pursued their targets. Itachi was silently panicing at the thought of Alice as she was in Kakashi's memories, eventually jarred from his thoughts by the loud explosion, courtesy of Deidara. Sasori sighed. "That brat is so damn loud."

"Hidan's not much better." Kakuzu grumbled.

"Focus," Itachi commanded. "Alice will be heavily guarded."

"How far down are they?" Kisame asked as Itachi led them down stairs.

"The lowest floor. The Anbu have been stationed there to guard them, though from Kakashi's memories, none of them really expected us to come."

So they were guarding her so she couldn't escape?" Sasori scoffed. "What can a teenager with no chakra do to them?"

"Alice is smart." Kakuzu stated. "But, she can't do anything against ninjas."

"I'm not sure what they were hoping to accomplish by guarding her from escape so carefully." Itachi stated. "But it doesn't matter. All that matters is that we get her out of here quickly and without any casualties on our side."

"What about Terah?" Kisame adjusted his grip on Samehada as the sword shuddered faintly, catching a hint of strange chakra.

"...she's in a cell on the same block as Alice. She not as heavily guarded." Itachi locked his gaze on the conjunction in the hallway ahead.

Kisame nodded and frowned when Samehada squirmed at the upcoming chakra. "Samehada senses chakra up ahead. Get ready you guys."

Itachi led the attack, flashing from one Anbu to another, sharingan spinning. Kakuzu's threads wrapped around the throats of several others, quickly and efficiently snapping their necks. Sasori whipped a few poisioned senbon into his targets, face calm and stoic. Kisame grinned smugly as Samehada easily chopped the remainder apart, absorbing their chakra. The shark skinned sword wiggling happily as it devoured their energy, both satisfying its thirst for blood and chakra as well as fueling its wielder.

They quickly flowed from attacking to recon, searching every cell in the room for their missing members, growing a little more upset with every miss. When they had cleared the room, Itachi led them to another, and the search continued. In the last cell, they found a battered, bruised, near-dead Alice, chained to the wall, blood dripping from various cuts on her body.

"Alice." Kisame sighed with slight relief at seeing her. He walked over to her and took her face gently in his hands. He pressed his forehead to hers. "Hey kiddo."

She moved a bit.

"Al. Alice, please wake up." Kisame whispered, patting her face gently with his thumb in hopes of waking her. "Please."

Her fingers twitched.

"Itachi?" Kisame called. "I have her. She's… not looking too well."

Itachi was by his side in an instant. His chest clenched at Alice's condition and he swiftly moved in when Kisame backed up to let him get to her.

Itachi bit his lip. "Alice." He tucked some of her hair that was caked with dried blood behind her ear and winced at the new wounds on her face and neck that made themselves known.

The Uchiha heard Kisame click his tongue in disgust. "Those bastards." He shook his head. "I'll leave you two alone for a bit. Just let me know if you need me, Itachi. I'm going to find Terah."

The blue man quickly left Itachi and Alice with Sasori while he and Kakuzu continued their hunt for Terah. He kicked in the door to the last room on the level and they split to their closest cells, ripping open locks, throwing open doors to empty cells and moving on to another.

Another quiet cell was thrown open, and Kisame started to turn away for the next one when the light from the room behind him glinted back at him from something in the cell. He stopped, scanning the room more carefully until his eyes locked on a stilled figure in the corner. He turned his head and caught another glint coming from the corner.

Quickly but cautiously he walked over, kneeling on the grimey floor beside Terah. She was covered in wounds, some caked with dried blood, but she had no response to him pushing her shoulder, rolling limply to lay on her back, the silver locket-thing she'd found the same day they met dangling uselessly from her throat. He choked on the air when he realized the cold truth.

"K-Kakuzu. I... I found her." He forced out, swinging Samehada into the holster on his back. The Miser walked over to the cell door behind him, silently watching Kisame scoop up the dead girl.

"Is she...?"

"Yeah. She... she's gone."

Kakuzu nodded understandingly and moved out of the way so Kisame could get out of the cell. "Let's go get the others."

They got to the other room just as Itachi, Alice and Sasori emerged. Itachi and Sasori both noticably flinched when they caught sight of Terah and the look on Kisame's face. Wordlessly, they followed the Uchiha out of the building. Kakuzu and Sasori offered to take Alice, But Itachi vehemently refused.

Kisame adjusted his grip on Terah so he could signal Deidara with an enormous wave thet engulfed a number of Shinobi as well. Alice mumbled about not wanting to leave her weasle or her shark for a bit, then managed to open her eyes enough to stare Deidara in the face as Itachi passed her on. "Don't leave Terah. And don't you dare get hurt."

"We won't, Alice." Kathryn assured her. Kisame carefully laid Terah on the bird beside her, and Kat tugged the kitsune into a secure spot so she could hold Terah and help support Alice. "Let's go, Dei."

The bird soared into the air, flying over the black smoke from the village and easily clearing the wall around it. When they landed outside of the huge paper tree, he skilfully landed it, grabbed Alice and Kathryn in eacharm and hopped down. Kat quickly took Alice and hurried into the tree, leaving Deidara to collect the corpse and follow.

Madara was inside the paper tree, sitting quietly beside Konan. He looked around at the sound of Deidara's arrival and nodded in approval. "Good work Deidara." He set Sable down on the ground when she started squirming in his lap before standing.

"She's in bad shape, un." Kathryn stated, setting Alice down at Konan's instruction. Sable darted over to them and whimpered as she licked Alice's face.

Alice frowned tiredly as she tried to avoid Sable's tongue unsuccessfully. "Shut up, Kat."

Dei almost chuckled, laying Terah down beside Alice. "She's still feisty as hell though, un."

"Of course she is." Kathryn smiled, sitting beside Alice. "She's Alice after all."

"Deidara, you should return." Madara stated coolly. "Your skills are needed."

"I know Tobi- Shit! I mean Madara. un." Deidara knelt and kissed Kathryn, ignoring Madara's chuckles. "I've gotta head back, babe. Help Konan and be safe yeah. I love you, un."

She kissed him back. "I love you too Dei. Hurry back to me."

He smiled at her and left the tree without another word.

Konan frowned, her hurt gaze locked on Terah. "They... They killed her."

"Poor Terah." Kat whispered, her short bubble of cheer popped and gone. "She didn't do anything to them."

"I know, dear." Konan pat Kathryn's head when she sniffled. "Come on, we have to help Alice now."

**~oOo~**

**Noooo, Terah! I'm so sorry!**

**:( ... well, that chapter was a pain to write, because I had trouble thinking up stuff for it. A lot of it was stolen from M,IMtK directly then edited so it was in the plural during the rescue.**

**You had all better be grateful for my lack of patience, or this chapter would not be up yet.**

**Question! If an electric train is North at twenty miles an hour, and the wind is blowing East at seven miles an hour, which direction is the smoke blowing?**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16! Yay us!**

**I'm so unsure of where this is going right now…**

**Anyways, I'll save my important stuff for the bottom. Thank you for bothering with my insane prattle and psychotic ranting.**

**~oOo~**

_Alice is safe. Konoha is gone. The guys are really fucked up over losing me and almost losing Alice in the same sweep. Tobi is actually Madara and is intentionally scaring the fuck out of Kathryn. I am not happy._

_But I am also a ghost, so I cannot change this._

_I haven't figured out a way to communicate with people other than that pathetic comfort attempt I made on Alice when she was being tortured. Therefore, I also can't haunt Madara and possibly make him regret being an ass._

_This sucks._

_The guys are making plans for my funeral as soon as Itachi is willing to let Alice out of that hospital bed. That would be my cue to resurrect myself like I know I can do, because that's how awesome my Kekki Genkai is. There's just one tiny little problem._

_I don't. Know. How._

_Can you spell fuck my existence?_

**~oOo~**

Kisame stood in the doorway as Kakuzu checked up on Terah's body, resetting broken bones and making her look halfway normal for when everyone looked at her one last time before they buried her.

People said that when people died, it often looked like they were just sleeping. Terah… Terah just looked dead.

"Kathryn is going to come in a few minutes to change her into some decent clothes." The blue man turned to the miser, nodding. "Are you going to be alright?"

He nodded, pushing back the hurt. "I miss her."

Kakuzu pat him on the shoulder. "We all do." With that he left, giving Kisame some space and time to just stare.

Slowly, he walked over to her and knelt down so he wasn't staring down as much, laying his hand over hers. The pale skin was cold, and didn't have any response to the contact. The bruises and cuts that had been vibrant purple or black when they got her back were now faded and only visible if you were looking. Her eyes were still open, and even though they were still their bright, mismatched sapphire and emerald greens, that happy spark was gone. The light that made them almost glow in the dark had long before disappeared.

His gaze managed to find the locket latched onto her collar, and he carefully pressed on the clip so it came loose and held it in one hand.

It had been a completely random distraction when she found it, just laying in the road, and she had decided to keep it, just like that.

"Kisame?" He glanced over his shoulder at the tall-ish blonde girl in the doorway he had occupied not long before, sliding the collar into his pocket like the ninja he was. "Do you need a moment?"

"Nah, I'm fine, kid." He stood up again, refusing to look at the dead girl again. "I'll see you later, eh, Kat?"

She nodded, a half-forced smile taking her face for a moment. "Okay, Kisa. I've got to get Terah changed now, so out." She quickly shooed him from the room shutting the door behind him.

With an impossibly huge sigh, the shark-man made his way down the hall to the entry, where he waited for the others.

**~oOo~**

_I am really getting pissed._

_It's been, like, four days since we got back, and now they're almost ready to bury me. I still can't figure out how to get back in my body, and if I don't move fast, then I'll have to try to dig myself out of a hole with only what air I have left in my body's lungs. I have been half-buried before. Dirt is very heavy, and hard to dig out of. Especially when your hands are buried under it too._

_And now I've got Kisame mourning me quietly and looking pathetic while Kat is putting my body in clean clothes._

_This... Really sucks._

_I should have thought about this more._

**~oOo~**

The funeral was short. Itachi held onto Alice, who was clearly not happy, so she wouldn't get injured even more. Kat was crying into Deidara's shoulder, while the artist tried to comfort her. Sasori was just standing there beside Kisame, both of them staring with blank expressions. Kakuzu, Hidan and Sasuke were their typical un-bothered selves, but even the people who didn't know them well could feel the extra depression around them. Konan and Pein were standing by Madara, who was frowning to himself, probably thinking about what a waste of talent this was.

Pein had called off the rain for a while so they could bury her. There were still clouds in the sky, but they held their rain... for now at least.

When they finally buried the kitsune- in a very white and un-Terah-like dress- People were quick to disperse. Kisame, Itachi and Alice were the last standing by the freshly filled grave- Itachi only present because Alice wasn't ready to leave.

"Kisame?" The brunette reached out to put her hand of the shark-mans arm. "I'm sorry. She did it for us, though." He nodded, still quiet. "Come on, Itachi, I'm getting cold, and you look close to a panic attack. See you inside, Kisa."

When the couple had gone inside, Kisame pulled the choker from his pocket, gazing at it solemnly. Carefully and with a little difficulty, considering the size of it, He flipped open the locket and flinched.

The two pictures were of them. One was of the entire Akatsuki crew, save himself, Terah, and Karin- even a much smaller Sable, trying to lick Hidan's face. The other one was of him and Terah, on a rainy day, when she'd decided to teach him cats cradle. The strings had gotten tangled and for the most part tied their hands and forearms together- neither could figure out how a single loop of string could make such a mess- and Kathryn had snapped a picture with her phone, Terah trying to wave and dragging Kisame's arm up with her own.

A large clear drop landed on the back of his head, followed by another five in quick succession before he was surrounded by a down pour.

Tucking the locket back into his pocket, He bowed his head, shoulders hunching, and for a long while, just cried.

**~oOo~**

_Seeing Kisame cry is one of the saddest things I have ever had to see. Even his pout could not compare to the utter heart-breaking way he looked when he cried._

_Raging, I slammed my fists through the dirt covering my body. Death, dirt and lack of oxygen be damned, I would get out of this hole, and I would not let him cry anymore! Especially not over me!_

**~oOo~**

Madara, staring out at the shark by their dead 'friends' grave, frowned deeply, his entire face creasing. For a split second, he could have sworn he saw a flash of chakra under the dirt and mud.

He shook his head, turning away as the shark man made his way back inside. He was either crazier than he'd thought, or his eyes were strained from staring for so long.

**~oOo~**

**There you have it! Chapter 16!**

**This is way too short, but I'm way too lazy to add more right now. I'll probably be re-reading this and end up retyping the entire thing when the story is almost done.**

**Anyways, I was going to talk about important stuff...**

**Answer to my question: Nowhere. it's an ELECTRIC train. It doesn't have smoke. :)**

**NEW QUESTION: Which ways more, a ton of rocks, or a ton of feathers?**

**...My cat, the big fluffball I love the most... tried to eat me. I was snuggling him like I do daily, and then all of a sudden- WHACK! He bites my head. T.T I thought you loved me, Cow?  
><strong>


	17. Chapter 17

**Wow, I've got a chapter 17! This is the second longest story I've written- the longest I've posted.**

**I would also like to mention that there is a chance I might be looking for OC's in another story. See bottom note for info on those.**

**~oOo~**

The first thing I was aware of was cold. Cold and wet, where ever I was. Where exactly was that, anyways? The next thing I was aware of was a dull ache in my lungs- a craving for air, to breathe.

The second I opened my mouth to take the wanted breath, everything rushed back. I had died to protect Alice and the others. I watched them continue her interrogation. They lost. We were taken back home- odd how it had so easily become home- and they buried me. Kisame cried over me-

Wait.

They buried me.

… Fuck.

My body reacted without my need to interfere, the hands that had been folded across my chest instantly clawing at the soaked earth that held me down. I couldn't breathe, but my senses were completely overrun with mud. All I saw, all I felt, that disgusting taste, that sickly-sweet scent. It was everywhere. It was almost worse than blood. Almost.

I felt the _snap_ when one of my nails caught on a stone, ripping the bone in half, but even that couldn't stop me. I had to get out- NOW.

My lungs were burning for air by the time I felt the resistance against my left hand vanish, and the heavy splatters of rain on the ground above. Desperate, I forced my right hand up beside it, pushing sodden mud out of the way and reaching for anything more solid. I vaguely heard a scream, but I couldn't tell where from.

My senses slowly started to go out as I continued to reach for a grip. In an instant reaction, I clawed at the dirt that covered my head, pushing it further and further away until I felt my finger brush my cheek. I almost smiled, slinging muck from my grave out over the lawn for a long awaited breath of fresh air. When it got to the point where I could feel only water left, I whipped my head around violently, pulling up, side to side, anyway I could get it.

Finally, I broke through to air, and greedily sucked in as much as I could. I dunked my head back to just barely cover it with water in hopes it could clear some of the dirt from my eyes and nose, and eventually got back to digging.

But exhaustion does have its say here, and I had barely uncovered my upper chest before the world went black again.

**~oOo~ Kathryn View ~oOo~**

I sighed dejectedly as I walked from my bedroom. The base wasn't the same without Terah. It was so quiet now because it lacked her cheerful person and because everyone was still mourning her.

Currently, I was gathering flowers despite Danna telling me to stay inside. It was raining like usual and the last time I was outside in the rain, I got sick. Madara-sama had told me to focus on helping Alice get better and to worry about myself when I asked if Pein-sama would cut the rain. Pein-sama and Konan looked like they wanted to do as I asked, but Madara-sama won out.

Frustrated with his lack of compassion, I went to one of the two people I knew would side with me no matter what.

"Alice." I whispered, peeking my head into her room.

Alice looked up from Kisame who was laying on her bed, letting her pet him. Her eyes narrowed at my tone and she instantly was on the defensive, wondering what was troubling me. "What's up, babe?"

"Can I go outside and put some flowers on Terah's grave?" I asked.

Alice cocked her head to the side. "Of course you can. Who told you that you couldn't?"

"Danna and Madara-sama." I pouted.

"Fuck them." Alice snapped. "I'll bitch at Sasori for you later and Madara can suck a dick. If you want to go outside, you go outside. Just take Deidara with you. I don't want you out there by yourself."

I beamed at her. "Thank you Momma!"

"Yep." Alice smiled, returning her head to Kisame's shoulder. "Do you wanna go, Kisame?"

"Nah." Kisame said quietly, pain evident in his eyes. "I told Itachi I'd watch over you while he was training with Sasuke. He'd kill me if I took you outside in this weather."

Alice stared at him, obviously knowing he had other reasons for not wanting to go to Terah's grave. She saw right through him, but she didn't call him out. Instead she just kissed his cheek and hugged him. "Alright. Kat, find Deidara or even Hidan before you go outside. And ask Zetsu for some flowers. I'm sure he has some that can survive Pein's torrential downpour."

I nodded. "Okay Momma. Bye Kisame."

"See you kid." Kisame smirked weakly, looking in my direction.

I smiled brightly at him and Alice before leaving their room and heading for the kitchen where I could hear Deidara and Hidan yelling at each other. Sable was howling with them and sure enough, when I got in there, Kakuzu was ready to break a table over all of their heads because of all the noise. Sable sat in Hidan's lap, howling whenever he would raise his voice.

"Dei!" I called, hopping over to my adorable terrorist. "Can I steal you?"

Deidara looked away from Hidan to smirk at me. "Sure babe. What do you need yeah?"

"Come with me to see Zetsu. I need to ask him for a favor." I prodded.

Deidara got up, punching Hidan in the shoulder when he called me a bitch, and he followed me from the room. He grabbed my hand as we wandered to Zetsu's indoor garden so I smiled happily and pulled us closer, elated by his presence.

It didn't take us long to finally reach Zetsu's garden and when we did, I knocked. "Zetsu!"

"**What do you want?** Hello Kathryn, hello Deidara." Zetsu greeted, coming up from the floor.

"Do you have any flowers I can put on Terah's grave?" I asked. "Something that can live in Pein's monsoon."

"**Well, you can either plant a tree, a bush, or a rock.** Shut up. We have Yuccas. They survive very well in constant rain." Zetsu stated. "I'll get you a few. **Wait here.**"

"Kay!" I smiled, watching Zetsu fade into the door leading to his garden. I busied myself with nomming on Deidara's nose while he was gone.

About ten minutes later, Zetsu returned and I let go of Deidara's nose, grinning at his deep and adorable chuckle that made me smile in any and all circumstances. "Thank you so much Zetsu. You have no idea what this means to me. I'll tell Alice to make you something special when she can move on her own."

Zetsu shrugged. "Don't mention it. **Just make sure you don't hurt the plants.** And be careful."

"I will. Dei's taking me." I smiled, accepting the plants from Zetsu. They were really pretty and I almost felt bad about putting them in Pein's rain. But, Terah was so much more important than a little plant.

She deserved this.

Anyways, Dei and I traveled to the exit closest to Terah's grave and he grabbed two of those nifty hats to keep the rain off of us before he forced me into his Akatsuki cloak with adorable reasons as to why he wanted me to wear it.

Once we were outside, he led me straight to Terah's grave while I carried the flowers. He stopped a few feet from the grave and released my hand so I could have a moment alone. I accepted the chance and walked forward to kneel beside Terah's tombstone. I set the flowers before it and sighed.

"We miss you Terah. I wish you would come back." I whispered. "I miss you. Alice misses you. Your heart would melt if you saw how sad Kisame is. It's just not the same without you. But, I know it was your choice. I just hope you're happier than we are." I smiled. "And though it's crazy, I wish you would come back."

"Kathryn?" Deidara asked.

"What?" I looked around to raise my eyebrow at him.

Deidara looked utterly confused. "Do you hear that, un?"

I followed his gaze and raised my eyebrow at the dirt mound before me. "Hear what?"

A second later, a hand shot from the ground.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT, HMM?" Deidara demanded. I screamed in shock and darted back to hide behind Deidara, thinking it was some zombie trying to infect me and start a zombie apocalypse.

"Kill it!" I squealed. "Kill it Dei!"

"I didn't bring my clay, un!" Deidara whined. He grabbed me and watched the hand grope at the ground blindly before something occurred to me.

"OH MY PEIN WHAT IF IT'S TERAH?" I gasped. "Dei! Come on! We have to go get help!"

Deidara nodded and he scooped me up, sprinting inside. The first place we went was the kitchen which was now occupied by Kakuzu, Hidan, Jūgo, Suigetsu, Sasuke, Danna, and Itachi.

"Guys!" I gasped, slipping out of Deidara's arms.

"I told you not to go outside, Kathryn." Danna snapped, taking in my sopping wet clothes and hair and my mud covered shoes.

"Shut up Danna this is serious!" I growled, shocking everyone in the room. "A hand just fucking popped up from Terah's grave!"

They stared at me like I was insane.

"Fuck that." Hidan scoffed.

"Kathryn, you should lay off the sugar." Sasuke advised. Kakuzu grunted his agreement while Suigetsu smirked at me.

Deidara shook his head. "I saw it too. Seriously un."

Itachi's eyes narrowed, his Sharingan had been observing our every move. "They aren't lying. We'll go check. Sasori, go and ask Leader to stop his rain. Take Deidara with you to validate your reasoning. Kathryn, come with us."

"Right." Sasori nodded.

I bobbed my head and allowed Itachi to pick me up as he shot from the room, Hidan, Kakuzu, Jūgo, Suigetsu, and Sasuke on our tail. Hopefully we made in time to help.

Unless it really was a zombie…

**~oOo~ Terah View ~oOo~**

For some reason it was warm. I know for a fact that I was cold, wet, and covered with mud when I passed out…

Oh, shit, was I dead?

Wait… there are voices… What… Kat? …Zombies? What?

I tried to roll on my side and get more comfortable and groaned loudly as soon as I twitched. I was sore all over. My shoulders felt like they had been yanked half-way to hell, while my legs were squished by an elephant. And then there were all of those bruises and half-assed bone heals that had been left from Konoha

"Aah, god, someone tell me I'm alive. This hurts too much to be death." I groaned, forcing open my eyes. "And tell Kisame to never ever cry again. It will cause cute overload and destroy the universe."

"Terah!" A squeal was my only warning before I was attacked by a bundle of blonde energy. "Oh my Pein, I thought you were dead, and then I was gonna bring out some flowers, and your HAND popped out and I thought you were a zombie that was going to infect me with its disease and I panicked, and then I thought that maybe you were actually Terah, and that you needed help, so me and Dei ran inside and we got Itachi, Hidan, Kakuzu, Juugo, Suigetsu and Sasuke to come out and help dig you up! And you already had your whole head out and some of your shoulders, so we started digging and-"

"Kathryn, I think you should let her breathe. She's been deprived of oxygen for almost a week." Itachi cut in. I silently thanked him when Kat released me so I could recover from my painful coughing.

"Gah, I feel like shit." I mumbled. "At least Kat being here tells me I'm alive. There's no way she'd get stuck in hell with me."

"Welcome to the club." Alice grumbled from the bed next to me. "At least I'm not lonely."

"We missed you, Nee-chan!"Kat cheered hyperly. I swear, she wasn't capable of sitting still.

"Yeah, yeah, I saw. Just so you know… I am never, ever, EVER, letting myself be buried again. I think I completely ripped the nails loose on my hands."

With that said, I let my head fall back again and fell asleep- most likely snoring like a hacksaw, but you can't really blame me.

At least I know I'll wake up tomorrow.

**~oOo~**

**There we go! Terah is back!**

**Just so you know, I was planning this from the start. It's her Kekki Genkai. There are only Two uses that I have settled on being there for now- it can perfectly imitate death until all danger has passed, and it can kill the user and one target. Only the user can come back to life, though. And as you've read, it's not easy. **

**Now, I mentioned that I might need some help from you reviewers/readers for another story I plan on starting. Yes, I realize I have three other stories I haven't finished, and that's just what I have posted. But his is a really good idea!**

**I need you guys to volunteer your OC's for use in an X-Men style fic. If you want to offer your OC, please fill out the form I will type down below and PM me- not review, PM. I need more OC's to help fill the class and to match up with my plot. I am Accepting THREE girls and FIVE Boys.**

Form Thing:

Name: (first, last)

Code Name: (preferably corresponding w/mutations)

Age: (13-18, please, unless you have a really good reason)

Gender: Male/Female

Height: ?'?"

Weight: ? lbs.

Appearance: (this can be a link to a picture if you want. If it is, I need the name of the site, some space, and then everything that shows up in the url after .com. If not, then be as descriptive as possible: Hair, eyes, and skin tone needed)

Mutations: (a maximum of two, and I will not be taking Mary-Sues, so nothing that could make them invincible, and give what limitations they have on those powers)

Date of Birth: (Month, day. No year needed.)

Personality:(this may end up discussed with you via PM, because I need to make sure it will fit into my tiny, hole-riddled plot.)


	18. Chapter 18

**I got very sudden inspiration for this chapter. Don't hate me unconditionally for taking so long to get it out.**

**This chapter takes place AFTER the one-shot that started this story- You know, the one with Terah being all Emo over wishing she could love her Kisa-kun.**

**Much thanks to DaniZaraki for her help on this chapter.**

**~oOo~**

Terah couldn't stop her knee from bouncing hyperly where she sat on the edge of the couch. She was nervous, and stressed, and if she had bothered to eat anything for lunch, she was likely to have lost it by now.

Why was she so hyped?

Because she finally stopped procrastinating about talking to Alice and Kathryn about how she felt.

She wanted to procrastinate some more.

Right now, she was in the living room, waiting for Alice and Kathryn to get back from where they'd been stalking Itachi and Deidara in the training room. She would have gone and gotten them, but she was stressed enough trying to talk about it without extra people in the room. Besides, damn ninjas would probably overhear.

Maybe she was just being paranoid, but it was a defense mechanism. She had a lot to be paranoid about.

She had just gotten up to pace when Alice limped in beside Kathryn- Her leg having not been completely healed yet due to her refusing to sit still any longer than she had to.

Terah really didn't blame her. She was in there almost half the time Alice was, and Terah was ready to go crazy herself. Well, crazier.

"Um... A-Alice? Kat? Can I talk with you guys?" She resisted the urge to nom on her lip. That was just painful, and she wasn't willing to go through that trouble again.

"Sup?" Alice asked, sitting on one of the couches.

The Kitsune stared at her bare feet for a moment, considering how she could phrase it without triggering an attack. Alice could be very protective of her criminals... "Well, ya see... I, um... I think..." Would it be appropriate to bash my head against the wall? She wondered idly. Probably not... "I think I... Have no idea how to say this."

Alice raised her eyebrow at Terah. "You just open your mouth, form words, and say what's on your mind. Speak woman because your mumbling is starting to annoy me. And the drugs slash pain isn't helping."

Well, since it's now or never... She sucked in a breath, and forced out, "I really, really like Kisame and I don't know what to do."

Alice stared at her for a long moment, trying to make sense of what she just heard. "Repeat that. I believe I just heard you say that you liked my most favorite shark..."

Terah pulled her hand away from her mouth, giving her nails a break, and tried not to mumble. "Well, I-I did. And I don't know what to do."

Alice's eyebrow twitched in irritation while Kathryn squealed excitedly. "There are number of things you could do. None of which, at the moment, would be very healthy and all of them very painful."

Kathryn swatted at Alice. "Oh hush you cranky lady." She bounced in her seat on the cushion beside Alice. "I'm so happy for you Terah-nee! That's so cute! You and Kisame would make such a cute couple!"

She almost managed a smile. "Thanks, Kat. I'm glad you think so." She glanced warily at the brunette. "Now, if there were a way to not get mauled by an angry Alice..."

"Mauled is a very mild way of putting it." Said brunette growled. "Kisame is my shark."

Terah shrank comically. Angry Alice was a very dangerous Alice. "And this is probably why I procrastinated so much..."

"I hope you know Terah," Alice snarled viciously, glaring at Terah, "that not only am I going to maul you, I'm also going to help you gain Kisame's attention because my most favorite shark deserves some love and you are the only person I'd ever trust other than myself giving him that love." She smirked playfully and winked. "I hope you didn't think I was actually going to hurt you."

The fox blinked in shock, rubbing her ear self-consciously. "Well... For a minute there, yeah, it... crossed my mind..."

Alice laughed. "Dork. I'd never hurt you unless you went after Itachi. Besides, I've noticed your little infatuation with Kisame for a while and I've noticed he returns those feelings too." She shrugged. "Consider my help as thanks for that little stunt you pulled in Konoha. You protected the Akatsuki at the cost of your own life. If anyone deserves appreciation and my respect, it's you." She suddenly glared and pointed at Terah. "But do that again, and I will kick your resurrected ass from here to Dayton."

Terah gave off a small 'psh' noise. "That was nothin'. I knew I'd come back." She added in a mutter, "Would've been nice to get back before I got buried, but none-the-less." She shrugged. "That was a very troublesome experience. I have no plans to repeat it in the future. As in, ever."

"Good." Alice nodded. "Consider the burial punishment for making Kisame cry."

"Seeing Kisame cry was enough punishment for that."

"If it happens again and you're the cause of it, you'll find yourself six feet under, with no hopes of resurrection. That I promise you." Alice threatened.

Fox-girl nodded. "Noted."

Kathryn smiled. "I'm just glad your back, Terah-nee. It really sucked when we thought you were gone for good. And when both you and Alice were in Konoha, I seriously thought Itachi and Kisame were going to break the base with their tension!"

Terah smiled a little. "Yeah, I was half expecting Itachi to randomly break in through the wall while they were interrogating us. That wouldn't have been pretty."

"I disagree. I would have given both of my legs to have watched Itachi break down a wall and kill all of those assholes." Alice commented before smirking devilishly. "Especially if he was shirtless. Then the torture would have been worth it."

"I'd kind of rather you kept your daydreams to yourself, Alice." Terah smirked back. "You might give me ideas to give Sasori, and then where would we be?"

Alice cackled. "Well, knowing you and your love of bondage, you'd be chained to a bed while Sasori had his way with you. I meanwhile, would be drooling over Itachi and all of his shirtless glory." She smirked. "Though, now our foursome will be an orgy. Kisame needs to be added to this mess now too. Kinky shit."

"Hell yeah!" Terah laughed. A small sound in the hallway cut her off, though, and she frowned before peering around the corner to investigate. "...Hidan?"

"Yeah, bitch?"

"...Why are you spying on us?"

"Because he's a dumbass..." Alice mused. "And he's jealous because he doesn't get to join in on our kinky orgy of awesomeness." She smirked. "Poor, poor Hidan."

Terah sighed dramatically and shook her head. "Sorry, Hida-kun. You're not our type."

The Jashinist scowled and gave up hiding in the hallway, opting instead to stand beside the door in the livingroom. "You bitches are weird."

Terah raised an eyebrow. "Are you just noticing, or can I call you captain obvious?"

"He's neither." Alice stated boredly. "He's just a moron." She cocked her head to the side. "Hidan, did Itachi ask you to stalk me since he's training?" She glanced towards Terah. "I also would like to add that I take full credit for teaching you sarcasm and I am proud of you, young grasshopper."

Terah mock bowed to her. "Thank you, Alice-sensei!"

Hidan rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his bare chest. "He might have. Don't know what crawled up his ass, but I'm not supposed to let you out of my sight."

"I'll resist the urge to make sexual innuendos about Itachi and his ass." Alice smirked. "Don't act so mad about it though, Hidan. You know you love being around me. Plus, I'm sexy so you don't want to let me out of your sight."

"You know," Terah added thoughtfully, "Itachi needs to be careful who sends to look out for you, Alice. We all know Hidan's been giving you 'the look' when 'Tachi's not around."

Hidan growled back at her. "I have not!"

"Denial~!"

Alice gawked at Hidan. "Hidan! I'm telling Itachi!" She elbowed Kathryn teasingly. "Kathryn, go get Itachi so I can rat Hidan out."

The platinum blonde sighed, knowing he was going to lose anyways. "Whatever." He looked up for a moment, frowning, then turned his gaze back to Alice. "Oi, Bitch! I'm hungry! When are you making dinner?"

"For you? Never." Alice snapped. "I'm still injured you shit. I'm not allowed to make dinner. I'm barely allowed to walk around on my own. Why do you think Kathryn has been up my ass since I'm not with Itachi? She's basically helping me walk." She glared when Hidan glared at her. "Don't bitch, asshole. Take off your dress and man up. There are 1,338,299,512 people in China who don't give a shit about your problems."

Terah grinned, a wicked gleam in her eyes. "I could always make dinner, if you're hungry."

The man paled more than normal. Everyone remembered the last time the kitsune had made dinner. Half of the base ended up with food poisoning. Only Kisame, Juugo, Alice, Kathryn, Zetsu, Tobi, and the Uchihas had gotten away without ailment.

"I'd rather starve."

"I figured."

He brightened up again. "Unless you're making chocolate cake."

Terah glared. "No cake for you."

"No one in this base needs chocolate cake. I will not be dealing with idiots on sugar rushes." Alice deadpanned "Especially when I'm not able to beat the hell out of them."

Terah sighed in mock disappointment, laying a hand over her chest dramatically. "Forgive me, Idiots of the base. Alice has forbidden it."

Alice smirked. "Damn straight."

"What if I make Dango instead?"

As if on cue, Itachi wandered in. He raised an eyebrow at the people present. "What about Dango?"

Alice sighed. "And the addict has been offered his drug..." She looked at Terah. "You had to say Dango didn't you? Now you have to make it for him or he'll be pissy."

Terah beamed. She wouldn't admit it, but she did enjoy baking. "Okay!"

"Itachi, please don't let your sweet tooth rot out all of your teeth or make you chunky. I love your beauty and sexy abs far too much to allow Dango to ruin them." Alice sighed, tugging on Itachi's pant leg when he stopped beside the couch she sat on.

Said man smirked and sat down beside her, wrapping his arms around her possessively. "Of course not, Alice."

Terah smiled. "Awe... So cute. Imma go do some cookin' now." With that, she left for the kitchen, hoping she wouldn't have to send anyone on a run for ingredients.

Hidan pouted grouchily. "How come the Uchiha gets sweets and the rest of us don't?"

"You can have some too, Hidan." Alice stated. She pulled on Itachi's ponytail gently. "I'll make sure he shares."

Itachi pouted. "What if I don't want to share?" He questioned, holding her closer.

"Then I shall be forced to punish you." Alice said boredly, playing with the bottom of his shirt absently. "Or I'll sick Sable on you."

He pouted further. Hidan rolled his eyes, muttering, "Pussy Uchiha."

Alice glared at Hidan. "Don't talk about him like that, or you'll get no sweets. I'll only have him share with everyone who wants some besides you. Dick. Don't insult my weasel."

Itachi smirked victoriously for a moment as Hidan pouted again and went quiet.

Just a typical day at the base.

**~oOo~**

"So... how's this gonna work?"

Karin scowled, obviously irritated that I was still confused. She couldn't really blame me- I was suffering from brain trauma after the boulder-to-the-face incident a couple days ago.

You're probably wondering how the red-headed-slut-that-was-not-Sasori got involved, right? Well, as Kat had been discussing our plight with Konan, the bluenette had suggested that, as the red-head would have plenty of expirience in catching attention(we all sniggered at the fact that Konan could so casually insinuate that Karin was a whore) we might allow her to help with the plan.

_"Besides," She added as we walked away, "Alice, Kathryn and I didn't have to do much to get it across that we liked someone. You're too shy for the confessions."_

Way to boost my ego.

But, to please our Konan and prevent her from sulking, we allowed Karin to give input on the plan, and even more reluctantly, on the outfits we(read:They) bought.

"Alright, so, today we have a shopping spree to buy you as many decent outfits as possible-"

"Read, slutty clothes." Alice muttered.

"- and let you strut your stuff around the base for a few days under the guise of having lost a bet with me."

"Something you probably would do."

"After stage one has been completed, Alice and Kathryn will casually drop a hint that you need a date for the festival in the village-"

"That Konan is still convincing Pein to hold."

"Kisame will- should things go as planned- take the opportunity, and you two will do the flirting/getting closer thing. Two weeks, tops, and you'll be verry happy with your shark."

I nodded slowly. "Okay... I guess that's pretty simple." After a moment, I added, "I will have the power to return any outfit I deem too slutty, right?"

"To an extent." Karin allowed.

"Unless you abuse that power. Then you're stuck with what ever we choose for you." Alice shrugged. "Only fair."

I heaved a deep sigh. "Alright. I can live with that."

"Good, because we need to leave soon. This will be an all-day kind of thing."

I resisted the urge to growl at her. _Calm down... Konan promised... just two weeks, and you won't have to deal with it..._

**~oOo~**

"Fuck no."

Karin attempted a pout, clutching the pale-pink outfit to her chest. "Oh, come on! You haven't aprooved anything we've picked out!"

"Because you've picked them all out," I growled, "And they make me look like a slut."

She scowled, but relented from either my glare, Alice's glare, or a combination of the two. "Honestly, that red-and-black one was completely adorable."

"The skirt barely covered my ass."

"Details, details." She waved me off.

I turned to Alice with a pathetic face. "Please, can I please go home?"

"Not yet." She pat my shoulder reassuringly. "It's only been two stores. We have an entire village to go through- I'm sure you'll find something that isn't too Karin."

Said red-head gasped and reappeared, holding up two outfits that- I shuddered at the thought- actually were kind of gorgeous. "You can't say no to these. They are beyond perfect!" I grumbled, but didn't refuse. I still wanted to have a say later on. "Go try them on!"

I whimpered like a kicked puppy as she dragged me to the dressing rooms.

**~oOo~**

**Yes, yes, it's very short, but I needed to come up with ideas for the outfits she's getting. By the way, the idea of Karin's outfit that Terah outright refused was extremely hilarious. It may be involved in further chapters. **

**I wish to express my sympathies to the dear DaniZaraki, as she has been put through a very difficult time. :'( But don't bother her too much. Sometimes ya just need space. But I'm sorry, dear.**


	19. Temporary Chapter

**Hello Readers! I'm sorry for the tease, but you have to do me a favor for the next chapter. Your mission, should you chose to accept it, is to visit my DeviantART page and vote on the outfits you want in the story. The outfits are all in one picture, so all you have to do is comment for your favorite. Winning outfits will be posted in another picture at a later date.**

**On DeviantART, I am under the username Tori-Da-Mutt with that exact spelling. Picture is in my scrapbook.**

**Now go, My faithful readers! Go, and Vote! The sooner you vote, the sooner I update!**


	20. Chapter 20

**hello, Readers. I know I'm late, but what else is new.**

**All outfits are in a picture in my scrapbook on DA. Go view them if you with. I'm very non-descriptive on these.**

**Without further adue, our next chapter!**

**~oOo~**

This was the stupidest thing I'd ever done. I should have kept it a secret, or just gone up and told Kisame on my own, or- or some other third thing I can't think of. But no, I had to involve Alice and Kat and now I was stuck living with _Karin's clothes._

She was taking this job of her incredibly seriously. Not only had she insisted on planning all of my outfits, she'd even had the nerve to break into my room and steal all of my other clothes so I wouldn't have any extra options. I mean it, she took EVERYTHING! My tee-shirts, my baggy cargos, even my socks and underthings had been taken hostage!

I had discovered this fact shortly after waking up the morning after our shopping trip. The only clothes in my entire room were a black-to-red corset-top, a black fishnet under-shirt, a black skirt, thigh-high socks and an almost-trench-coat thing. And my Pyjammas weren't exactly company friendly, so I grudgingly changed into my provided clothes and made my way to the kitchen, where Alice was cooking up pancakes again.

"Good morning, everybody." I greeted in what I felt was an apropriately kind tone. There were a couple of grunts from the more stoic members that didn't bother to glance my way(namely Kakuzu and Sasori) While Itachi, Alice and Kat cast me warm greetings. Hidan was the first to look up at me, and his response was pretty expected.

"Damn, Bitch! Whoever fucked up you're closet knew what the fuck they were doing!"

I fought an eye twitch as the majority of the remaining males turned my way- Majority excluding Kakuzu, who could care less, and Deidara because he's a good hubby. Therefore, Sasori, Hidan, Kisame, and Zetsu who happened to have stopped in turned my way.

It was one of those cliche' moments that make you feel like you want to sink through the floor and never come out. But I am stronger than those cliche girls, so I chose to ignore the fact that Hidan is grinning like a kid who just heard christmas came early, Sasori was staring with a faint hint of what might be considered shock in his wide eyes, Zetsu was half smirking half blushing, and Kisame's jaw had practically hit the floor, and settled into a chair beside the latter.

Karin appeared in the doorway, smirking. "Looks good, don't she?" I cast her a warning glare.

"Why is Terah dressing like a Karin?" Sasori asked with extra emotionless-ness.

"She lost a bet with Karin, and now she's gotta do what the slut says for a week and a half." Kathryn explained before I could come up with anything.

So first she's my stylist, now she's my fucking MASTER?

"Fucking slut cheated." I countered grouchily. "I swear, if there wasn't a rule against killing other members..."

"Terah," Karin cut in before I could go full-blown rage, "Get me a glass of juice."

I let an extra vicious snarl tear through my throat, but stood anyways. Karin would die, slowly and painfully. I would take torture lessons from Hidan if I had to. I would study notes on what people can and can't live through. She would die a very slow and very painful death, locked up in the basement or tied up in a cabin in the woods where nobody will ever find her.

"Good girl, Terah~" Said slut cooed like I was a pet.

I would dump Kathryn unconcious in the woods somewhere as revenge, because Alice would kill me if I hurt her.

Meanwhile, back in reality, it appeared I had recently aquired a twitch in the right side of my head as my ear flailed spasticly and my eye twitched dangerously under Slut's attempts to get revenge on _me, _probably for something stupid like eating the last strawberry or trying to murder her in her sleep or something.

Anyone else would have known when it was enough, but Karin kept at it, the dumb bitch, until everything about me screamed murder to the next person to annoy me.

In order to escape, I stomped over to the fridge and snagged an apple before leaving, taking my killer aura with me. "Kathryn," I called, clenching my jaw. "Could I speak to you in private?"

"Don't hurt my almost-child, Terah!" Alice warned as the aforementioned blonde tiptoed out of the kitchen.

"Now Terah, before you freak out-"

"You gave that slut free reign to boss me around like a fucking slave for a week and a half. You'd better have a DAMN good excuse, or you will wake up in the middle of Wind Country."

"Well, you see, I had this plan, you know? And besides, you're stronger than her. You can do it, I know you can! Um, I gotta go, I promised Konan that I'd pick up some stuff for her, Bye!"

I glared at her retreating form as she half sprinted down the hallway. She is so beyond lucky.

**~oOo~**

I wish I could say the days got better, but they didn't. The next days outfit was worse- Knee-high fishnet socks, a tiny blue plaid skirt, and a tight black teeshirt with a faded white heart on the front. And Karin decided to start treating me like a complete slave instead of just in front of people when the bet is mentioned.

If I have to run to her room for a clean shirt everytime she attempts to flirt by spilling something on herself one more time, I'm going to scream.

The next day was Almost- _almost _better. It was an off-shoulder blue dress with fishnet accents. But the skirt was cut up one side to my hip.

She'd even changed my Pyjammas for a pair of short-shorts and a loose cropped tank top.

I learned that getting up in the middle of the night because my room got boring was not an option when I walked past Kisame- who may or may not have been hiding a nosebleed- and Hidan, who attempted to slap my ass and get away with it.

Yeah... Not a pleasant expirience.

**~oOo~**

"This is getting ridiculous."

"This has been ridiculous."

"Touche'. But seriously, she's ordering you to bring her a smoothie?"

"If I didn't have to keep up appearances, she'd be dead by now."

Todays outfit- a dark grey bastardized kimono with swirly patterns. I mean it, the skirt barely even made it to my wrists when I stood up and pulled it down- which was not a good idea, as it threatened to expose my boobs.

"I'm tempted to blow it all just to kill the whore." I growled, stirring low-fat yogurt and fresh diced strawberries together in a glass. "I had to ask permission to go to the fucking bathroom."

"I wouldn't blame you if you did."

"But you won't help me out in any way. No 'You can make it, it's only a few more days,' or 'I know a place you could hide the body,' or even 'get over it.' Just gonna stand there and watch me suffer?"

"It's not that horrible, and you're the one who agreed to our help in the first place. Besides, I think Kisame's going to attack you in the hallway tonight."

"Great." Note the sarcasm. "Now all I need is a unicorn and my dream will be fulfilled."

**~oOo~**

A solid white outfit.

...Is this hoe completely insane?

"Perfect!"

I'll take that as a yes.

"Now, be a good litte kitsune and make Hidan get out of the recliner. That's my favorite place to sit."

My eye twitched psychoticly as I approached the zealot, fingers itching to throw a certain female out a window. "Hidan, could you please move?" I asked through grit teeth.

"Mm, Let me think..." He took a fake thoughtful expression. "What's in it for me?"

"What do you want?"

He got a dangerous gleam in his eye. "Anything?"

"Yes." Karin answered for me.

That sick grin was back. I took a half-step back in caution, but too late- He stood from his seat and in a quick sweep of his arm, slapped my ass. Not a pat, I mean a full blown slap, like I wanted to do to Karin-slut's face. "Chair's all yours, b-"

"**Hell. FUCKING. NO.**"

He froze mid-step, glancing over his shoulder at me. I shit you not, my rage was visible, floating around me in flame-like pattens. "Uh, I just remembered, the Money-loving Bastard wanted me to get him a... uh... clean mask."

I crouched down, eyes burning, and launched at him.

He screamed.

**~oOo~view change-Kisame~oOo~**

This was entirely unfair.

Not only was Terah dressed in an outfit that made him want to lock her in his room, but now she was actually acting like Terah- vicious, leathal, violent, sexy- Er, anyways.

She'd gone to the extremes in her assault on Hidan. Poor(not) bastard didn't stand a chance. Especially since he slapped her ass. If Terah hadn't done something about it, he would have himself. But, as the cards fell, she hadn't just chopped his head off, like he was expecting. No, she'd indeed gone the extra mile and then some. He doubted even Kakuzu could piece him together, with how many pieces the Kitsune had left him in. Honestly, just the carcass with his crushed and removed ribs left was in a few dozen pieces, not to mention the dozens more she'd ripped off and tossed around the building. Her once white clothes were splattered with so much blood that they clung to her skin, molding perfectly to her form, showing off her muscles and curves.

IT was obviously exactly what she needed, if her rather tranquil expression was anything to go by. It was quite a contradiction- her clothes looked like she'd just fallen into a pit of bloody cadavers, but her face looked like she'd just had the most relaxing massage ever. And yet, it looked exactly like something Terah would do, so it wasn't weird to see her so calm.

...This had to end soon, or he might do something he regretted.

**~oOo~back to Terah~oOo~**

That was exactly what I needed to make it through this week.

I should slaughter Hidan more often.

**~oOo~**

Yet another corset-skirt combo. Yay me. At least Hidan won't try to slap my ass anymore- it's been two days, and everybody is still gathering pieces of the asshole all over the base.

Just wait until they finally found his eyes.

**~oOo~**

I woke up on the... what was it, the ninth day? Yes, the ninth. I had esaped day eights horrors because of my once monthly 24-hour nap, so there was no doubt in my mind that the Slut would find some way to make today even worse.

Nevertheless, I stretched and yawned and rolled out of bed to flop on the floor. "I hate mornings." I declared to the cheap carpet that smelled like old lady. "They should de destroyed."

Reluctantly, I got off my almost-comfy resting place on the floor and turned to my dresser to find my new outfit. It would probably look like something a hooker would wear.

"Let's see," I mused, "I wonder if she went for midriff, clevage or flaunting my..."

No way. Even KARIN wouldn't- couldn't- she just-

"Does that even count as a shirt?"

In my opinion, no, it didn't. Todays outfit was by far the worst of them- My socks were black-and-red striped, trailing up to my thighs, where they would probably barely be covered at the top by "my" red-and-white plaid skirt, and to top it off, not a teeshirt, not a tube top, not even a sheer lace shirt you're supposed to wear over another shirt. No, instead, she'd gone so far as to give me a new red bra with black accents and a black fishnet undershirt. Nothing else. Not even a fucking **jacket.**

Unfortunatly, I wasn't going to have much of a choice in the matter, because the moment I threw open the door, I came face-to-face(to-face, to-face) with A smirking Karin, an annoyed Alice, and a Pouting Kathryn.

"I can't wear that_...thing_, in a base full of men, at least one of which is extremely perverted."

"You wanted help, and if this doesn't make him fall head-over-heels, then he's gay." Karin stated.

"Pleeeeease, Terah-nee-chan~?" Kathryn begged, pouting childishly.

."...I hate you three. So. Fucking. Much."

**~oOo~**

**WHAAAT? Terah's going to wear that thing? I must be beyond evil and cruel...**

**Oh, yeah, I am. :)**

**Well, I hope you enjoyed. I'll try to update soon, but review and it might come faster~**

**Random Question: Right or Left?**


	21. Chapter 21

**Since I have shit for inspiration, here's some more Terah Goodness. It's very short, but my mind has died for this story. I will get a few more chapter sup, but I think it's gonna stop at the end of MIMTK instead of continuing into STK.**

**Try to enjoy it.**

**~oOo~**

This was humiliating. Beyond humiliating. Never in a million years would I have worn something like this willingly.

I glared at my reflection, like it was the girl in the mirror's fault I was wearing a mesh shirt and a mini skirt. Which, in a way, it was. If I hadn't let them talk me into letting them design my outfits top-to-bottom for the past several days, I wouldn't have been subjected to this in the first place. I could be relaxing comfortably in my usual black capris and a baggy shirt and my Akatsuki cloak.

Karin pounded on the door again, and I relented at last to letting myself into the open, where the entire base seemed to be waiting to see me and my red-and-black lace bra. I glared heatedly at everyone who stared(and believe me, that was just about everyone) and followed Alice and Karin out to the living room. I sat on the edge on the couch, tucking the skirt down to cover as much as possible and pressing my knees together tightly. My logic constantly reminded me that I was not allowed to attack Karin. If only Leader and Konan were out for the day...

Alice flicked through a few channels before settling on some kids show that Kat squealed about. I felt my eye twitch.

Karin babbled for a while about kami-knows-what, probably just wanting to listen to herself. I grit my teeth, ignoring Hidan's comment about my outfit- something about showing some leg. I was sorely tempted to try using the remote for a kunai. Alice cast me a knowing look and smiled just a tiny bit before returning her attention to the TV. My tail twitched, bunched uncomfortably against the couch cushion.

_Just a few more hours. A few hours and you're home free. You can do this. You can totally-_

"Oi, Terah!" Karin whined. "Get me something to eat!"

_Kill this bitch right now._

**~oOo~**

He wasn't entirely sure what had brought him to the livingroom, but damn, was he glad it did. While seeing Terah was a definite good thing in his day, and watching Karin get her ass beat was something he'd looked foreward to, it wasn't everyday that he got to watch Terah beat the living shit out of the red-haired slut in a skimpy outfit.

And, as strange as it might be, seeing her work up a sweat, little splatters of blood flying from her fist and Karin's mouth... It was sexy.

Abruptly, he marched over to the kitsune's side, scooped her up onto his shoulder, and left the room with Terah cursing and swearing the whole way.

**~oOo~**

Karin gave a muffled groan from the floor where she lay unattended, bleeding rather severely from the face, much to the amusement of everyone else present.

Kat leaned on Alice's shoulder. "How long do you think it'll take before they realize that the whole plan was based around getting Terah to beat up the useless bitch?"

Alice shrugged. "Most of them probably already knew. They're smart criminals. Except Hidan." Said zealot made a noise of protest. "I just wanted to see Karin get her face bashed in, since I'm not allowed to do it and Terah would probably enjoy it just as much as I did."

Itachi sighed from his place near the door. "Alice..."

The brunette waved him off. "Calm down, she'll be fine in a day or two. Unfortunately." Before her lover should inject again, she clapped her hands together. "Who wants lunch? I'm making Pizza."

With a loud clamor the tenants of the livingroom filed out towards the kitchen to enjoy some of Alice's cooking. Karin made another noise from the carpet, and Itachi looked at her for a moment, debating with himself for all of three seconds before following his wife out.

"Guys~" Karin whined, "help me~"

"Sorry," Suigetsu called as he passed by, attracted by the sound of pizza, "there are no brain surgeons on base."

**~oOo~**

I smiled, trying not to dance like an idiot. Kisame- after a rather long make-out and cuddle session- had offered to loan me a shirt so I wouldn't be stuck in the mesh monstrosity for the rest of the day, so I was now seated at the kitchen table on his lap in an oversized tee-shirt nomming on a slice of slightly cold pizza.

"So, you agreed to let _Karin_ choose your outfits to catch my attention?" Kisame clarified. I nodded. "...What possessed you-?"

"I have absolutely no idea, but I'm glad it's over. I'm never wearing a dress again. Ever."

He smirked, taking a bite of his own slice instead of replying.

"So, can I go finish killing Karin? I'd like to have fun before Leader decides to off me for disobeying orders."

"Terah."

"...Too late."

"This is gonna hurt, isn't it?"

Kisame made an odd noise of uncertainty. My shoulders slumped.

"I'm so dead."

**~oOo~**

**Like I said, it's short, but my inspiration is just... Poof. Gone. Been absolutely non-existent for several months now. I'm sorry if the quality of the story plummets to two-year-old.**


End file.
